5 


^Sl 


^  .  1-  5". 

Srom  f  ^e  £i6rat|?  of 

(]profe60or  ^dmuef  (gtifPer 

in  (glemori?  of 

3ubge  ^amuef  (ttlifPer  QSrecftinribge 

(presented  6l? 

^antuef  (ttliffer  QBrecfeinrtbge  &ong 

to  f ^  fei6rart?  of 

(princefon  C^eofogicaf  ^eminarj 


BR  75  .B73  1846  v. 2 
Bunyan,  John,  1628-1688. 
Works  of  the  Puritan  Divine 


s 


WORKS 


ENGLISH   PURITAN  DiymES. 


BUNYAN. 


THE   GREATNESS   OF   THE    SOUL 

AND 

THE  TJNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF  : 

JSo  ma^  to  I^eaDen  but  ti^  %Z0U0  €fivi0t: 
THE    STRAIT    GATE. 

JOHN   BUNYAN: 


TO  WHICH  IS  PEEMXED, 

AN    INTRODUCTORY    ESSAY   ON  HIS  GEKIUS  AND  WRITINGS , 


liV  THB 

V" 

REV.    ROBERT    PHILIP. 

Airmon  ow  '  t«»  uitt  and  tim»«  of  bumtak." 


NEW  YORK: 
WILEY  &  PUTNAM,  161  BROADWAY, 

1846. 


CONTENTS. 


Pag*- 

1   Preface. 

2.  A  CliTorLolo|ical   Critique  on  Bdnyan's  Genius  and 

Writings, 

3.  The  G-reatness  ol  the  Soul,              .                      .  1 

4.  Justification  by  an  Imputed  Righteousness,      .  117 

5.  The  Strait  Gate,        .                                 ...  207 


BUNYAN'S   GENIUS  AND  WRITINGS. 


« 


CnRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE 


WHITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN. 


In  the  Bunyan-like  sketch  of  Bunyan's  Life  prefixed  to 
the  first  vohime  of  this  series,  Mr  Hamilton  has  said  that  my 
"  researches  have  left  few  desiderata  for  any  subsequent  de- 
votee." He  himself  has  proved,  however,  that  both  new  and 
beautiful  lights  may  be  thrown  around  the  old  facts  by  devo- 
tees. So  also  has  Dr  Cheever  of  America,  in  his  splendid  Lec- 
tures on  the  Pilgrim's  Progress.  Besides,  there  is  yet  room 
for  much  research  into  the  history  of  Bunyan's  mind. 
The  progressive  development  of  his  intellectual  powers  has 
never  been  traced  by  any  of  his  biographei's  or  critics. 
It  could  not  be  traced  by  Southe}^,  Montgomery,  nor 
Macauley ;  because,  when  they  wrote,  there  was  no  clue  to 
the  chronology  of  his  "  Sixt}'-  Books."  Criticism  could  only 
guess  at  the  order  in  which  his  works  appeared.  Thus  the 
matter  stood,  until  Mr  Kilpin  of  Bedford  discovered,  in 
1838,  Charles  Doe's  Circular  of  1691,  which  contains  a 
complete  list  of  them,  with  their  dates,  taken  from  Bun- 
3^an's  own  lips  just  before  his  death.  This  important 
document,  however,  came  into  my  hands  when  "  the  Life 
and  Times"  of  Bunyan  were  nearly  printed  off  in  stereo- 
type. Then  I  could  only  insert  it,  and  that  only  by  taxing 
a  literary  friend  to  digest  the  bibliography.  The  following 
running  critique  is,  therefore,  an  outline  of  the  opinions  and 


11  A  CHRO^^OLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

impressions  of  the  wTiter,  as  these  were  moulded  hy  reading 
anew  the  works  of  Bimyan  in  the  order,  and  under  the 
circumstances,  they  originatec^. 

I  thus  conciliate  attention,  because  I  hope  to  gratify 
it  somewhat,  by  glimpses  of  Bunyan's  intellectual  his- 
tory, which  could  not  be  given  until  the  friends  of 
his  memory  in  Bedford  found  out  the  list  of  his  friend 
Doe  ; — "  The  Struggler^  as  he  calls  himself,  "  for  pre- 
serving the  works  in  folio."  Gladly,  however,  would  I 
have  hailed  a  critique,  founded  upon  that  list,  from  any 
other  pen  ;  but,  as  none  has  appeared,  although  it  has  been 
six  years  before  the  public,  I  feel  bound  to  do  what  I  can, 
in  order  to  create  a  public  demand  for  something  worthy 
of  the  subject,  now  that  both  "  The  British"  Quarterlies 
can  command  the  best  writers  of  the  age.  I  begin,  there- 
fore, by  answering  the  question, — "  What  can  the  man 
do  that  cometh  after  the  king  ?"  Bunyan  is  the  very 
king  of  more  arts  than  Allegory  and  Anal^^sis  ;  and 
if  this  question  be  put  in  reference  to  all  that  he  has 
done  as  a  writer,  the  only  answer  that  can  be  given  to 
it,  by  a  man  who  really  knows  what  Bunyan  has  done, 
must  be, — "  It  is  yet  to  be  shewn  hoio,  and  why^  and 
when,  he  did  so  much,  and  did  it  so  well."  Now,  this  is 
not  easily  shewn.  Whoever  shall  explain  it,  to  any  good 
purpose,  must  understand  Bunyan's  own  nature,  almost  as 
well  as  he  himself  understood  Human  nature.  And  the 
understanding  must  be  almost  instinctive  too ;  or,  the 
result  of  strong  sympathies  with  him  ;  for  the  laws  of  his 
intellectual  being  blend  so  with  its  spiritual  aspirations  and 
responsibilities,  that  his  head  can  never  be  analysed  apart 
from  his  heart,  nor  his  heart  comprehended  by  any  head, 
which  is  unbaptized  "with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  Fire." 
Whoever  has  no  absorbing  and  burning  love  to  immortal 
souls,  and  thus  to  "the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls,"  can 
neither  tell  nor  see  why  Bunyan  thought  or  wrote  as  he 


TBE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OP  BUNYAN.  Ill 

did.  He  was  forever  watching  for  souls,  as  one  that  "  must 
give  an  account  ;"  and  that  watching  made  his  intellectual 
eye  ransack  "  the  depths  of  Satan,"  as  well  as  "  the  secrets  of 
the  heart ;"  and  scrutinize  the  aspects  of  the  world,  as  well 
as  range  the  open  fields  of  visible  nature.  Nothing  that  he 
wrote  terminated  upon  himself,  or  had  its  chief  charm  to 
him,  in  either  its  point  or  pathos.  He  sought  with  keen 
zeal,  and  enjoyed  with  keener  zest,  happy  thoughts,  and 
"  picked  and  packed  words,"  as  he  calls  his  Saxonisms,  but 
not  for  their  beauty  or  point  as  composition,  nor  as  speci- 
mens of  his  own  vein  ;  but  because  they  were  wanted  to 
arrest  attention,  and  were  likely  to  rivet  instruction. 
"  The  tongues  of  angels"  would  have  had  no  attraction  for 
him,  had  they  been  intelligible  only  to  himself,  and  to 
minds  of  his  own  order.  All  his  soul  was  set  upon  win- 
ning souls  ;  and  therefore  it  was  concentrated  upon  the 
powers  of  his  mother-tongue,  as  the  vernacular  of  the  mul- 
titude, and  thus  the  natural  way  to  the  heart. 

If  there  be  any  truth  in  these  remarks,  they  prove  that 
there  was  more  power  about  Bunyan's  intellect,  than  his 
spiritual  admirers  generally  suppose  ;  for  it  commands,  or 
wins,  the  admiration  of  men  who  have  no  spiritual  dis- 
cernment, and  no  taste  for  devotion.  And  it  did  so,  when 
there  was  less  of  both  in  England  than  there  is  now.  It 
commanded  homage  even  in  the  court  of  Charles  II.,  and 
made  the  Cavaliers  of  the  Restoration,  as  well  as  the  Round- 
heads of  the  Protectorate,  wonder.  And  still,  both  Readers 
and  Writers,  who  have  no  sympathies  with  experimental 
piety,  either  as  it  weeps  or  rejoices,  almost  weep  and  re- 
joice with  Bunyan's  Pilgrims. 

Fashion,  and  his  own  wide-spread  fame,  have,  no  doubt, 
something  to  do  w'xih.  this.  It  would  be  infra  dig.  in  any 
literary  circle,  not  to  admire  John  Bunyan.  He  is  an 
integral  part  of  the  National  character,  in  common  with 


IV  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

Milton  and  Shakespeare  ;  and  thus  it  is  Patriotism  to 
praise  him.  But  still,  after  deducting  all  this  matter-of- 
course  praise,  there  remains  a  succession  of  Master-spirits 
who  have  paid  homage  to  his  genius,  in  spite  of  all  their 
hatred  to  his  sect  as  a  Nonconformist,  and  to  his  senti- 
ments as  an  Evangelical.  Neither  Dr  Johnson,  nor  Dr 
Southey,  nor  Sir  Walter  Scott,  nor  Lord  Byron,  could  re- 
member, for  their  life,  whilst  reading  Bunyan,  that  he  was 
anything  but  just  a  great  and  good  man,  who  had  been 
very  ill-used,  in  bad  times.  The  fact  is,  he  had  filled  the 
wide  field  of  their  vision  wdth  creations  they  could  not 
imitate,  nor  find  a  parallel  to,  nor  help  admiring  ;  and  thus 
they  gave  way  to  the  gush  of  their  own  emotions, 
because  no  other  writer  had  ever  awakened,  in  their  mighty 
minds,  similar  emotions,  from  such  sources,  or  by  such 
scenes.  He  thus  threw  the  bigotry  ^  of  Johnson  and 
Southey,  and  the  banter  of  Scott  and  Byron,  into  a  mesme- 
ric sleep,  and  left  them  Clairvoyant  on  "  the  borders  of 
Emmanuel's  Land." 

That  Coleridge  and  JMacauley,  Franklin  and  Macintosh, 
should  have  manifested  some  relish  for  the  sinritualities  of 
"  The  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  as  well  as  for  its  pure  Saxon 
and  vivid  personifications,  is  only  what  might  be  expected 
from  their  early  intimacy  with  the  Bible,  and  with  men 
who  had  much  of  Bunyan's  love  to  the  Bible.  Franklin's 
father  was  driven  to  America  by  the  same  iron  rod  of  the 
Stuarts,  that  drove  Bunyan  into  Bedford  jail.  Indeed, 
both  his  Father  and  Mother  had,  nsost  likely,  heard  Bun- 
yan ;  for  they  were  Korthamjitonshire  Nonconformists,  and 
their  ancestors  had  been  amongst  the  first  Protestants,  in  that 
county,  who  dared  the  wrath  of  "  bloody  INIary."  Thus 
their  piety,  which  was  quite  of  Bunyan's  order,  was  just 
as  likely  to  give  young  Franklin  a  taste  for  some  of  the 
spiritualities    of    the    Pilgrim,    and    his    intimacy    with 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  V 

Whitefield  to  promote  it,  as  his  early  familiarity  with 
Xenophon's  Memorabilia  were  sure  to  make  him  appre- 
ciate the  natural  beauties  of  the  Pilgrim.  So  also  Cole- 
ridge was  well  prepared  by  his  theological  studies,  as  well 
as  by  his  dreamy  life,  to  sympathize  with  Bunyan's  spiri- 
tual moods.  And  as  to  Macintosh  and  Macauley,  they  had 
seen,  from  their  "  youth  up,"  living  specimens  of  holy  pil- 
grims, and  had  heard  much  of  Covenanters  who,  like 
Faithful  at  Vanity  Fair,  had  been  "  faithful  unto  death." 
Thus  there  is  no  mystery  in  the  moral  sensibilities  of  these 
men,  to  some  of  the  high  and  holy  peculiarities  of  Bunyan, 
as  those  appear  in  his  Pilgrim.  But  not  one  of  these  dis- 
tinguished writers  evinced  any  acquaintance  with  the  varied 
forms  in  which  all  the  chief  beauties  of  the  Pilgrim's  Pro- 
gress appear  in  Bunyan's  other  works.  I  have  shewn  in 
another  place,  that  the  germs  of  that  work  existed  in  his 
"  Strait  Gate,"  a  year  before  it  was  written  ;  and  what  is 
more  to  the  point,  that  the  brightest  gems  in  the  Pilgrim 
lie  scattered  throughout  all  his  books,  in  which  its  grand 
points  are  touched,  although  never  in  the  same  forms  or 
settings.  Sometimes,  indeed,  they  are  expanded  and 
polished,  beyond  their  size  and  lustre  in  the  allegory  ;  and 
at  other  times,  the  splendid  filings  of  both  the  enchasing 
gold  and  the  chaste  gems,  are  sprinkled  upon  pages  where 
no  one  would  expect  to  find  them. 

It  is  impossible  to  doubt,  in  the  face  of  this  fact,  the 
importance  of  drawing  public  attention  to  many  of  Bun- 
yan's treatises  ;  or,  of  bringing  them  out  in  such  volumes 
as  the  present.  His  literary  critics  have  given  the  public 
no  clue  or  key  to  his  iich  mines  of  thought,  feeling,  and 
diction,  in  such  treatises  as  "  The  Greatness  of  the  Soul," 
and  "  The  Beauty  of  Holiness."  They  have  confined  their 
criticism  to  his  allegories  ;  whereas  he  himself,  without  at 
all  injuring  either  the  Holy  War  or  the  Pilgrim,  breaks  up 


VI  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

his  vital  and  vivid  personifications  into  Maxims,  Argu- 
ments, and  Appeals,  which  are  as  powerful  as  his  Pictures 
are  enchanting.  Bunyan  is  himself,  even  in  his  doggerel 
Rhymes,  as  well  as  in  his  Catechisms  and  Sermons.  He  fights 
Quakerism,  Pharisaism,  and  Antinomianism,  in  the  same 
style  as  Christian  fought  Apollyon  ;  or  Mr  Great 
Heart,  Giant  Maul.  He  reasons  as  well  with  Pliables 
of  all  sorts,  as  with  the  one  who  went  as  far  as  the  Slough 
of  Despond ;  and  unmasks  more  Talkatives  than  the  son  of 
Say-well  of  Prating-Row.  Dr  Southey  thought  that  By- 
Ends  was  the  picture  of  some  particular  individual  ;  hut 
Bunyan  often  depicts  the  whole  generation  of  such  gentr}--, 
with  graphic  accuracy.  "  I  ohserve,"  he  says,  in  his  Bar- 
ren Fig-Tree,  "  that  as  there  are  trees  wholly  noble,  so  there 
are  also  their  semblance  ;  not  right,  but  ignoble.  There  is 
the  Grape,  and  the  Wild-grape  ;  the  Rose,  and  the  Canker- 
rose  ;  the  Apple,  and  the  Crab.  Now,  fruit  from  these  wild 
trees,  however  it  may  please  children  to  play  with,  yet  the 
prudent  and  grave  count  it  of  little  or  no  value.  There  are 
also  in  the  world  a  generation  of  Professors,  that  bring  forth 
nothing  but  wild  olive-berries  ;  Saints  only  before  men  ; 
Devils  and  Vipers  at  home.  Saints  in  world  ;  but  sinners 
in  heart  and  life.  Well,  saith  God,  this  profession  is  but  a 
cloak.  I  will  loose  the  Reins  of  this  man,  and  give  him  up 
to  his  own  vile  affections.  '  I  will  answer  him  by  my- 
self !'  Ezek,  xiv.  7.  Thou  art  too  hard  for  the  Church. 
She  knows  not  how  to  deal  with  thee.  Well,  I  will  deal 
with  that  man  myself  !"  So  also  in  his  "  Righteous  Man's 
Desires,"  he  says,  "  Some  men's  Hearts  are  narrow  upwards, 
and  wide  downwards  ;  narrow  as  for  God,  but  wide  as 
for  the  world.  They  gain  for  the  one,  but  shut  themselves 
up  against  the  other.  The  heart  of  a  wicked  man  is  widest 
downward  ;  but  it  is  not  so  with  the  Righteous.  His 
desires,  like  the  temule   Ezekiel  saw  in  vision,  are   still 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OP  BUNYAN.  vU 

widest  upwards,  and  spread  towards  heaven.  A  full  Purse, 
witli  a  lean  soul,  is  a  great  curse.  Many,  while  lean  in 
their  Estates,  had  fat  souls  ;  but  the  fattening  of  their 
estates  made  their  souls  as  lean  as  a  rake,  as  to  all  good." 
In  like  manner,  it  is  not  in  By-path  JMeadow,  where 
Christian  listened  to  Vain-Confidence  ;  nor  at  Beelzebub's 
Orchard,  where  little  Matthew  ate  grapes  which  gave  him 
"  the  gripes,"  that  Bunyan  displayed  his  deepest  ac- 
quaintance with  the  "  bane  and  antidote"  of  Temptation. 
He  says  in  his  "  Notes  on  Genesis,"  "  In  time  of  tempta- 
tion, it  is  our  wisdom  and  duty  to  keep  close  to  the  Word, 
which  forbids  the  sin,  and  not  to  reason  with  Satan  as  Eve 
did.  So  long  as  we  retain  the  simplicity  of  the  Word,  we 
have  Satan  at  the  end  of  the  staff ;  for  unless  we  give  way 
to  a  doubt  of  it,  he  gets  no  ground  on  us.  Eve  went  to  the 
outside  of  her  liberty,  and  set  herself  upon  the  brink  of 
danger,  when  she  said,  '  We  may  eat  of  all,  but  one  tree.' 
When  people  dally  thus  with  the  Devil,  they  fall  by  temp- 
tation." 

It  is  needless  to  say,  that  such  Passages  are  in  fine  keep- 
ing with  both  the  beauties  and  the  power  of  the  Dialogues 
they  refer  to.  They  are  quoted  here,  in  order  to  prove  that 
Bunyan  was  his  own  Commentator  on  the  Pilgrim's  Pro- 
gress, in  his  other  Works,  in  the  case  of  almost  all  its  finest 
personifications  ;  or,  in  order  to  shew,  that  floods  of  light 
could  be  thrown  upon  all  his  Allegories  by  his  own  lamps. 

It  will  now  be  seen,  that  his  literary  Critics  -were  not 
likely  to  appreciate  or  understand  him  fully  ;  and  that  his 
spiritual  Commentators  ought  not  to  have  confined  them- 
selves to  either  his  own  history,  or  that  of  his  Times,  for  il- 
lustrations of  his  Pilgrim.  Even  Dr  Cheever  of  New  York, 
who  has  eclipsed  the  Avhole  host  of  Bunyan's  Commenta- 
tors, in  both  point  and  pathos,  and  placed  himself  like  the 
Apocalyptic  Angel,  full  in  the  very  "  Sun"  of  the  Vision,  as 


Vlll  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

well  as  clothed  himself  with  its  Rainbows,  has  evinced  no 
familiarity  with  the  unvisionary  forms  of  the  Great  Truths 
embodied  in  the  Pilgrim's  Progress.  He  has  evidently 
quoted,  at  second-hand,  except  from  Bunyan's  poetry.  This 
is  much  to  be  regretted,  in  reference  to  England.  Such  an 
American  as  Dr  Cheever,  was  just  the  man  to  make  Eng- 
lishmen aware  of  the  peculiarities  and  beauties  of  Bunyan's 
prose.  They  would  have  struck  him  more  than  they  do 
English  readers,  and  thus  have  struck  sparks  from  his  own 
spirit,  which  would  have  set  our  curiosity  on  fire,  as  well 
as  consumed  the  dross  of  our  familiarity  with  our  own 
idioms.  For,  just  as  American  travellers  make  us  look 
as  with  new  eyes  upon  our  own  scenery  and  architecture, 
because  they  bring  both  to  a  standard  that  we  never  judged 
of  them  by,  so  they  discern  more  readily  than  ourselves 
the  force  of  the  mother-tongue,  because  they  have  less  of  it 
in  familiar  use,  or  in  its  original  forms.  America  has  a 
vernacular  of  its  own,  and  thus  it  is  as  much  alive  to  the 
peculiarities  of  our  idiom,  as  we  are  to  those  of  the  New 
World.  But  although  I  should  be  glad  to  see  American 
discernment  applied  to  Bunyan's  Works  at  large,  I  depre- 
cate the  bare  idea  of  England  leaving  to  any  nation — even 
to  Scotland — the  honour  of  analyzing  and  illustrating  the 
works  of  her  own  Son,  now  that  all  nations  who  have  a 
literature,  class  him  with  Shakespeare  or  Milton,  as  a  man 
of  genius  ;  and  now  that  he  has  won  the  homage  of  her 
own  best  Critics.  England  has  living  sons  who  can  com- 
mand universal  attention,  and  confer  everlasting  fame,  in 
various  ways,  if  they  would  unite  to  do  for  Bunyan,  what 
has  been  so  often  and  well  done  for  all  Genius  of  his  order  ; 
and,  in  doing  so,  they  will  identify  themselves  with  the 
immortality  of  our  old  English,  by  restoring  to  it  idioms 
which  will  annihilate  both  the  latinized  and  frenchificd 
formalities  that  have  been  grafted  upon  the  parent  stock,  as 


TUE  WRITINGS  AND  GENII] S  OF  BUNYAN.  IX 

well  as  wither  the  parasitical  Germajiisms  that  have  crept 
around  it,  and  are  inflicting  an  "injury"  without  "lending 
a  grace"  to  the  language. 

This  may  seem  extravagant  to  those  who  have  only  dipt 
into  Bunyan's  works  at  large,  and  even  to  those  who  may 
study  the  Treatises  in  this  volume  in  order  to  test  the  truth 
of  the  assertion  ;  but  it  is  quite  capable  of  ample  proof,  if 
my  limits  were  not  narrow.  Indeed,  narrow  as  they  are, 
I  do  not  despair  of  proving  that  Bunyan  was  himself,  when- 
ever his  subject  allowed  him  to  be  so,  or  called  for  his 
graphic  touch.  Even  in  the  very  first  treatise  he  wrote, 
"  Gospel  Truths  Opened,'''  he  is  alternately  logical  and 
imaginative.  Dr  Southey  said  of  it — "  It  is  a  calm,  well- 
arranged,  and  well-supported  statement  of  the  Scriptural 
doctrines  on  momentous  points."  It  is  so  much  so,  that  it 
has  been  compared,  as  an  argument,  apart  from  learning, 
9  Pr  Pye  Smith's  "  Scripture  Testimony."  This  fact  ren- 
ders aixj  specimen  of  its  induction  unnecessary  here,  won- 
derful as  that  is,  in  the  case  of  a  man  who  had  never  before 
tried  his  hand  at  composition.  What  it  is,  in  point  of 
vivacityj  will  be  seen  from  the  following  specimens.  On 
the  Angelic  Testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  Saviour's  resur- 
rection, Bunyan  says  — "  Here  is  the  Angel  of  the  Lord 
ready  to  satisfy  the  disciples  that  Jesus  was  risen  from  the 
dead.  And  lest  they  should  think  it  was  not  the  right 
Jesus  he  spoke  of,  '  Yes,'  saith  he,  '  it  is  the  same  Jesus 
that  you  mean.  You  seek  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  do  you  not  V 
Why,  '  He  is  not  here,  he  is  risen.'  '  But  do  you  speak 
seriously  ? '  '  Yea,  surely.  If  you  will  not  believe  me, 
behold  the  place  where  they  laid  him  !'  See  how  plainly 
this  Scripture  doth  testify  of  Christ's  resurrection.  '  Yea/ 
saith  the  angel,  '  Lo  it  is  as  I  have  told  you.  You  seek  a 
Saviour,  and  none  will  content  you  but  he  that  was  cruci- 
fied.  Well,  you  shall  have  him.  But  he  is  not  here.'    '  But 


X  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

where  shall  we  find  him  V  '  Why,  he  goeth  before  you 
into  Galilee,  where  he  used  to  be  in  his  life-time  before  he 
was  crucified.'  "  Thus  Bunyan's  vein  appears  the  moment 
we  break  ground,  ilnd  how  obvious  it  is,  when  he  applies 
to  hiinself  the  ascertained  facts  of  the  gospel  !  "  Here,  in- 
deed, is  my  life  ;  namely,  the  birth  of  this  3Ian,  the  right- 
eousness of  this  jNIan,  the  blood  of  this  Man,  the  death  and 
resurrection  of  this  Man  ! — the  Son  of  Mary — the  Son  of 
Man — the  Son  of  God — the  true  God  !  I  say,  here  is  ray 
life,  if  I  see  this  by  faith  icithout  me,  through  the  operation 
of  the  Spirit  within  me.  I  am  safe,  I  am  at  peace,  I  am 
comforted,  I  am  encouraged  ;  and  I  know  that  my  comfort, 
peace,  and  encouragement  is  true,  and  given  me  from  hea- 
ven by  the  Father  of  mercies."  Thus  also  he  applies  this 
test  to  others.  "  Thou  thinkest  that  thou  art  a  Christian. 
Thou  wouldest  be  sorry  else.  Well,  but  when  did  God  shew 
thee  that  thou  wert  no  Christian  1  When  did  the  Spirit  of 
the  Lord  shew  thee  that  hadst  no  faith  in  thee  by  na- 
ture ?  Dost  thou  not  say  in  thine  heart,  that  thou  never 
hadst  thy  faith  to  seek,  but  always  believed  with  as  good 
a  faith  as  any  one  alive  ?  If  so,  know  for  certain  that  thou 
hast  no  faith  of  the  operation  of  God.  If  thy  guilt  of  sin 
goes  off,  and  convictions  go  off,  in  any  way  but  by  the 
blood  and  righteousness  of  Christ,  thy  guilt  goes  off,  not 
riffht,  but  wrong,  and  thy  latter  end  will  be  a  very  bitter 
end." 

These  passages  are  oiithreahs  from  the  continuous  stream 
of  Bunyan's  main  Argument,  and  thus  they  are  but  loose 
as  composition.  Besides,  he  was  writing  for  the  first  time. 
But  still,  in  the  Argument  itself,  his  power  of  condensation, 
as  a  theologian,  was  never  surpassed  by  himself  afterwards. 
He  ^^ picked  words"  better  in  his  next  treatise  ;  but  he  never 
"packed'"'  them  better,  even  when  he  understood  his  own 
power. 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  xi 

It  has  been  said  already,  that  the  real  secret  of  Bunyan's 
eloquence  was  his  intense  solicitude  to  win  souls  to  Christ. 
Accordingly,  his  first  "  Call  to  the  Unconverted"  was  en- 
titled, "  Sighs  from  Hell,  or  The  Groans  of  a  Damned  Soul." 
That  work  shews  that  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  was  germi- 
nating in  his  spirit  at  an  early  period.  Hence  it  opens 
thus  :  —  "  Friend,  because  it  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  be 
walking  towards  the  place  of  Darkness  and  Anguish,  and 
because,  notwithstanding,  the  journey  that  most  of  the 
poor  souls  in  the  world  are  taking,  I  have  thought  it  my 
duty,  for  preventing  thee,  to  tell  thee  w^hat  sad  success 
those  souls  have  had,  that  have  persevered  therein.  Why, 
friend,  it  may  be — ^nay,  twenty  to  one — thou  hast  had  thy 
hacJc  to  Heaven,  and  i\\y  face  towards  Hell,  ever  since  thou 
didst  come  into  the  world.  Why,  I  beseech  thee,  put  a 
little  stop  to  thy  earnest  race,  and  take  a  view  of  what 
entertainment  thou  art  like  to  have,  if  thou  do  in  deed  and 
in  truth  persist  in  thy  course.  ^  Thy  w^ays  lead  down  to 
Death,  and  thy  steps  to  Hell.'  It  may  be,  indeed,  the  path 
is  pleasant  to  the  flesh  ;  but  the  end  thereof  will  be  bitter 
to  thy  soul.  Hark  !  dost  thou  not  hear  the  bitter  cries  of 
them  that  are  newly  gone  before  thee,  saying,  '  Let  him  dip 
the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue,  that  is 
so  tormented  in  this  flame.'  Dost  thou  not  hear  them  say, 
'  Send  one  from  the  dead,  to  prevent  my  father,  my  bro- 
ther, my  father's  house,  from  coming  to  this  place  of  tor- 
ment ?'  Shall  not  these  mournful  groans  pierce  thy  flinty 
heart  1  Wilt  thou  stop  thine  ears,  and  shut  thine  eyes  ? 
And  wilt  thou  not  regard  ?  Take  warning,  and  stop  thy 
journey  before  it  be  too  late.  Wilt  thou  be  like  the  silly 
fly,  that  is  not  quiet,  unless  she  be  either  entangled  in  the 
spider's  web,  or  burnt  in  the  candle  ?  0  sinner,  sinner, 
there  are  better  things  than  Hell  to  be  had  !  There  is  Hea- 
ven, there  is  God,  there  is  Christ,  there  is  communion  with 


Xil  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

an  innumerable  assembly  of  saints  and  angels  !  Consider  ; 
would  it  not  wound  thee  to  the  heart,  to  come  to  thy  death- 
bed, having  thy  sins  flying  in  thy  face — thy  conscience 
uttering,  of  itself,  thunder-claps  against  thee — the  thoughts 
of  God  terrifying  thee — Death,  with  his  merciless  paw, 
seizing  upon  thee — Devils  standing  ready  to  scramble  for 
thy  soul,  and  Hell  enlarging  itself  to  swallow  thee  up  ] 
For,  mark.  Death  doth  not  come  alone  to  an  Unconverted 
Soul ;  but  with  such  company  as,  wast  thou  sensible  of  it, 
would  make  thee  tremble.  Hell  cometh  with  Death  to  the 
Ungodly.  Here  comes  Death,  and  Hell,  unto  thee  !  Death 
goeth  into  thy  body,  and  sepai-ates  soul  and  body  asunder. 
Hell  stands  without,  to  crush  thy  soul  with  its  everlasting 
grinders.  Lo,  it  will  come  to  this  !  Blessed  are  those  that 
through  Christ's  mercies,  by  faith,  do  escape  these  soul- 
murdering  companions  ! " 

In  his  Treatise  on  the  Parable  of  Dives  and  Lazarus, 
Bunyan  represents  Dives  as  objecting  thus  to  Abraham, 
when  he  says,  "  They  have  Moses  and  the  prophets,  let 
them  hear  them  ;" — "  This  is  the  thing  (to  be  short),  my 
brethren  are  unbelievers,  and  do  not  regard  the  Word  of 
God.  I  know  it,  by  myself ;  for  when  I  was  in  the  world, 
it  was  so  with  me.  The  Scriptures,  thought  I  then,  what 
are  they  1  A  dead  letter  ;  a  little  ink  and  paper,  of  three 
or  four  shillings  price.  Alack  !  what  is  Scripture  1  Give 
me  a  ballad,  a  news-book,  George  on  horseback,  or  Bevis 
of  Southampton.  Give  me  some  book  that  teaches  curious 
Arts,  that  tells  old  Fables.  And,  as  it  was  with  me  then,  so 
it  is  with  my  brethren  now  !  They  are  so  hardened  in 
their  own  ways,  and  so  bent  on  following  sin,  that,  let  the 
Messengers  of  Christ  preach  until  their  hearts  ache,  till 
they  fall  down  dead  with  preaching,  they  will  trample  it 
under  foot,  and  swine-like  rend  them,  rather  than  close  in 
with  those  gentle  and  blessed  proffers  of  the  Gospel." 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OP  BUNYAN.  Xlll 

But  Bunyan  could  woo  in  his  own  way,  as  well  as  warn. 
He  tries,  in  this  Treatise,  to  win  such  men  as  Dives  described ; 
and,  in  order  to  this,  he  gives  them  the  full  benefit  of  his 
own  experience,  as  to  the  sufficiency  of  Scripture,  without 
Messengers  from  the  invisible  world.  "  I  tell  thee,  friend, 
there  are  some  Promises  I  would  not  leave  out  of  the  Bible, 
for  as  much  gold  as  could  lie  between  York  and  London, 
even  if  piled  up  to  the  stars  ;  because,  through  them,  Christ 
is  pleased  by  his  Spirit  to  convey  comfort  to  my  soul.  I 
say,  when  the  Law  curses,  when  the  Devil  tempts,  when 
Hell-fire  flames  in  my  conscience,  then  is  Christ  revealed  so 
sweetly  to  my  poor  soul  through  the  Promises,  that  all  is 
forced  to  fly,  and  leave  off  to  accuse  my  soul.  On  this  ac- 
count, how  excellent  are  the  Scriptures  to  thy  soul !  They 
are  so  large  as  to  say,  Christ  will  in  nowise  cast  out. 
Crimson  sins  may  be  white  as  snow.  0,  how  is  it  with 
thy  soul !  Oh  !  I  say,  regard — regard — ^for  Hell  is  hot. 
orod's  hand  is  up  !  The  Judgment-Day  is  at  hand.  The 
Graves  are  ready  to  fly  open  !  The  Trumpet  is  near  the 
sounding  !  The  sentence  will  ere  long  be  passed,  and  then 
neither  you  nor  I  can  call  Time  again  !"  Thus  there  was 
from  the  first,  in  Bunyan's  spirit,  as  in  Whitefield's,  a 
"secret  place  of  thunder,"  and  "a  fountain  of  tears,"  that 
discharged  alternate  bursts  of  terror  and  tenderness — bolts 
of  Sinai,  and  dew  of  Hermon.  And  this  twofold  power,  he 
retained  to  the  end  of  life  ;  but  he  never  displayed  it  better 
than  in  the  first  outpourings  of  his  baptized  spirit,  whilst 
he  Knew  nothing  about  the  art  of  writing  for  the  press. 

By  the  time  he  wrote  his  next  Treatise,  "  The  Doctrine 
of  Law  and  Grace  Unfolded,"  or,  "  The  Two  Covenants," 
he  had  met  with  scholars,  in  the  jail  at  Bedford,  whose 
conversation  made  him  aware  that  writing  was  an  art. 
His  fellow-prisoner,  Coxe,  the  cordwainer,  who  insisted 
upon  pleading  his  own  cause  in  both  Greek  and  Hebrew, 


XIV  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

and  thus  "wound  up"  the  law^'ers,  as  his  judge  said,  had 
given  Bunyan  some  idea  of  Aristotle's  logic,  and  of  Plato's 
eloquence.  This  led  him  to  deprecate  criticism,  and  to  in- 
crease his  vocabulary.  Hence  he  says  in  the  Preface  to 
his  work  on  the  Covenants,  "  I  never  went  to  school  to  Aris- 
totle or  Plato,  but  was  brought  up  in  my  father's  house  in 
a  very  mean  condition,  among  a  company  of  poor  country- 
men." He  had  also,  if  not  the  Book,  his  own  vivid  recol- 
lections of  "  Luther  on  the  Galatians,"  to  test  and  form  his 
style  by.  Accordingly,  whilst  he  eschews  "  fantastical  ex- 
pressions, and  whimsical  scholar-like  terms,"  he  employs 
many  compound  words,  and  theological  technicalities, 
which  never  occur  in  his  first  work.  Indeed,  its  general 
character  is  not  unlike  Witsius  or  Boston  on  the  Covenants. 
It  is  not  so  perspicuous  as  Dr  Russell's  work  on  the  sub- 
ject ;  but  it  is  quite  as  cogent,  and  far  more  spirited.  It 
smacks  much  of  Luther  ;  but  it  also  improves  upon  him. 

That  Luther's  work  was  before  Bunyan's  eye,  or  dis- 
tinctly recollected  by  him,  there  can  be  no  doubt,  although 
he  never  names  him.  Luther  says  to  Satan,  "  In  telling 
me  that  I  am  a  great  sinner,  thou  givest  me  a  sword  to  cut 
thine  ovm  throat  ; — for  Christ  died  for  sinners."  This  hint 
was  quite  enough  to  set  Bunyan  off  in  his  own  style.  He 
says  to  a  timid  penitent,  "  Didst  thou  never  learn  to  out- 
shoot  the  Devil  with  his  own  bow,  and  to  cut  off  his  head 
with  his  own  sword  1  Question,  '  0,  how  should  a  poor 
soul  do  this?  This  is  rare,  indeed!'  Answer.  '  AVhy, 
truly  thus  :  Doth  Satan  tell  thee,  thou  prayest  but  faintly, 
and  with  very  cold  devotion  ?  Say,  I  am  glad  you  told 
me  ;  for  this  will  make  me  trust  the  more  to  Christ's 
prayers,  and  the  less  to  my  own.  Also,  I  will  endeavour 
henceforward  to  make  the  heavens  rattle  again  with  my 
mighty  groans.  And  whereas  thou  tellest  me  that  I  am  so 
weak  in  believing,  I  am  glad  you  mind  me  of  it.     It  will 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  XV 

make  me  restless  till  I  have  strong  faith  !  Poor  soul,  if 
thou  didst  get  this  art,  to  outrun  Satan  in  his  own  shoes 
(as  I  may  say),  and  to  make  his  own  darts  pierce  him, 
then  thou  mightest  say  of  his  temptations,  as  of  other 
things,  they  work  together  for  my  good.'  P.  160.  Objec- 
tion. '  But  I  find  so  many  weaknesses  in  every  duty  I 
perform,  that  it  maketh  me  out  of  conceit  with  myself, 
and  to  think  that  my  duties  are  little  worth.'  Answer. 
'  Thou  by  this  means  art  taken  off  from  leaning  on  any- 
thing below  a  naked  Jesus  for  eternal  life.  It  is  like,  thou 
wouldst  send  thy  soul  to  Hell  in  a  bundle  of  thy  own 
Righteousness,  if  thou  wast  not  sensible  of  many  by- 
thoughts  and  wickednesses  in  thy  best  performances.' "  P. 
161. 

No  treatise  of  Bunyan's  is  better  worth  an  attentive  per- 
usal than  this  one  ;  for  no  man  can  read  it,  either  as  a 
critic,  or  as  a  mere  theologian.  It  impales,  as  well  as  em- 
pannels,  the  conscience,  even  if  the  conscience  has  been 
slain  by  the  law,  and  healed  by  the  Gospel,  for  years.  The 
spiritual  Reader  is  compelled  to  go  deeper  into  his  own  case, 
than  any  Doctrinal  Book  upon  Law  and  Grace  evM-  led  him  ; 
and  the  general  reader  cannot  but  feel  himself  in  the  grasp 
of  a  gigantic  hand,  and  under  the  gaze  of  an  eye,  that  he 
can  neither  resist  nor  evade,  but  by  closing  the  book*  and 
that,  he  can  hardly  do,  if  the  Pilgrim  has  any  charms  for 
him,  or  Bunyan's  own  life  any  interest.  For  every  now 
and  then,  Bunyan  strikes  off  some  miniature  likeness  of 
himself,  now  as  "  an  old  covenant-man,"  and  anon  as  "  a 
new  covenant-man,"  that  whoever  loves  him  must  read 
on. 

It  will  tempt  some  to  read  this  Treatise,  when  I  say,  that 
the  late  Dr  Waugh  drew  some  of  his  "  sharp  arrows"  from 
it.  He  made  them,  indeed,  more  "  polished  shafts"  before 
shootinir  them  from  his  magnificent  bow  ; — for  he  improved 


XVI  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

whatever  he  appropriated  ; — but  they  were  taken  from 
Bunyan's  quiver  ;  and  so  also,  not  a  little  of  the  sweet  and 
healing  Balm  he  sent  after  them  was  extracted  from  such 
Balsam-trees  ;  never,  however,  without  due  acknowledg- 
ment. 

Bunyan's  next  work,  of  any  size,  was  on  Prayer  ;  and 
as  extempore  prayer  was  then  a  State  crime,  no  one  can 
wonder,  however  much  he  may  regret,  that  the  Prayer- 
Book  came  in  for  some  of  that  odium  which  odious  means 
of  enforcing  it  created.  Besides,  one  extreme  begets  ano- 
ther. I  am  no  apologist  for  Bun3'an's  low  estimate  of 
forms  ;  but  I  deny  that  it  is  so  low,  or  so  vulgar,  or  so  bit- 
ter, as  was  the  Laudean  estimate  of  free  prayer.  That  poured 
far  more  scorn  upon  "  the  Spirit  of  supplication,"  than  ever 
Bunyan  did  upon  the  form  of  it.  No  one  knew  this  fact 
better  than  Dr  Southey.  It  w^as  not  fair,  therefore,  to  con- 
ceal it,  w^hen  calling  Bunyan's  prejudices  "  unreasonable." 
AVanton  and  impious  prejudices  wer€  then  rampant,  against 
all  avowed  dependence  upon  the  Holy  Spirit  for  help  in 
prayer.  So  much  was  this  the  fact,  that  good  Bishop  Hall, 
although  writing  for  Laud,  rebuked  them,  and  gave  burning 
utterance  to  his  own  love  of  "  praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost." 

It  is  due  to  Bunyan's  Catholic  spirit,  to  place  his  work 
on  Pftyer  in  this  light.  Apart  from  its  occasional  sar- 
casms upon  the  Liturgy,  it  is  full  of  wise  and  warm  appeals 
on  the  spirit  of  prayer,  and  quite  as  severe  against  extem- 
pore parade  as  against  heartless  formality.  Its  great  defect 
is,  that,  in  analyzing  the  Lord's  Prayer,  it  refers  the  peti- 
tion, "  Thy  Kingdom  come,"  to  the  second  coming  of  Christ 
to  judge  the  world. 

Contemporary  with  this  Treatise,  is  most  of  Bunyan's 
Poetry ;  but  as  no  one  reads  his  Rhymes  now,  I  say  nothing 
about  them  ;  except  that  his  efforts  to  write  in  numbers, 
clumsy  as  they  were,  increased  his  power  of  "  picking  and 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  XVII 

packing  words."  This  is  very  obvious  in  his  next  prose 
work,  on  "The  Resurrection  of  the  Dead,  and  Eternal 
Judgment."  Indeed,  it  is  somewhat  heavy  by  condensa- 
tion ;  and  not,  as  might  be  expected,  full  of  vivid  visions 
of  the  last  day.  But  although  calm  in  its  solemnity,  and 
close  in  its  reasonings,  and  sparing  of  epithets,  there  are 
many  sublime  and  beautiful  passages  in  it ;  and,  as  usual 
with  Bunyan,  they  are  expansions  of  some  scriptural  fact 
or  figure.  What  can  be  more  beautiful  than  his  expansion 
of  the  emblem  of  the  Resurrection  from  a  grain  of  wheat  ? 
"  There  is  a  poor,  dry  and  wrinkled  kernel  cast  into  the 
ground  j  and  there  it  lieth,  swelleth,  breaketh,  and,  one 
would  think,  perisheth.  But,  behold,  it  receiveth  life,  it 
chippeth,  it  putteth  forth  a  blade,  and  groweth  into  a  stalk. 
There  also  appeareth  an  ear  ;  it  also  sweetly  blossoms,  with 
a  full  kernel  in  the  ear.  It  is  the  same  wheat ;  yet  behold 
how  the  fashion  doth  differ  from  what  was  sown  ?  And 
our  Iran  will  be  left  behind,  when  we  rise  again.  The  body 
ariseth,  as  to  the  nature  of  it,  the  self  same  nature  ;  but  as 
to  the  manner  of  it,  how  far  transcendent  ?  "  The  glory  of 
the  terrestrial  is  one,  and  the  glory  of  the  celestial  ano- 
ther !" 

So  also,  what  can  be  more  sublime  than  his  expansion 
of  the  oracle,  "  It  is  sown  in  weakness,  it  is  raised  in  power  ?" 
Realizing  this  change,  when  the  mortal  puts  on  immortal- 
ity, he  thus  appeals  to  the  Saints,  "  At  our  first  appearance, 
the  world  will  tremble.  Behold  the  gates  of  death  and 
the  bars  of  the  grave,  are  now  carried  away  on  our  shoul- 
ders, as  Sampson  carried  away  the  gates  of  the  city.  Death 
quaketh,  and  Destruction  falleth  dowTi  dead  at  our  feet ! 
\yhat  then  can  stand  before  us  ?  We  shall  then  carry  that 
grace,  majesty,  terror,  and  commanding  power  in  our  souls, 
that  our  countenances  shall  be  as  lightning.  Then  shall 
"  Death  be  swallowed  up  of  victory  !" 


XVm  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  OX 

But  lest  any  of  his  Readers  should  be  unable  to  realize 
this  change,  he  says  in  the  next  breath,  "  You  know  that 
the  things  candied  by  the  art  of  the  Apothecary,  are  so 
swallowed  up  with  the  sweetness  and  virtue  of  what  they 
are  candied  in,  that  they  are  as  if  they  had  no  other  nature 
than  that  in  which  they  are  boiled  ;  while  yet,  in  truth, 
the)''  retain  their  own  proper  nature  and  essence.  So,  let 
us  lose  our  proper  nature,  and  we  absolutely  lose  our  being, 
and  are  annihilated  into  a  nothing.  But  no  ;  we  shall  be 
candied  hy  being  swallowed  up  of  Life.  AVe  shall  be  as  if 
we  were  all  spirit ;  but,  in  truth,  it  is  this  body,  a  spiri- 
tual body." 

I  might  multiply  passages  of  this  kind  ;  but,  as  I  am 
merely  tracing  the  progress  of  Bunyan's  intellectual  power 
and  literary  habits,  it  is  unnecessary.  What  I  want  to 
shew  is,  the  Pilgrimage  of  his  Mind  and  Pen,  before  he 
"wrote  his  Pilgrim's  Progress.  That  work  came  "  suddenly^'' 
into  his  mind  as  an  Allegory  ;  but  both  as  theology  and 
literature,  it  was  the  result  of  much  patient  thinking  and 
writing,  during  more  than  twenty  years.  It  was,  no  doubt, 
partly  dreamt  in  prison  ;  and,  most  likely,  without  any 
help  from  any  books  but  the  Bible  and  Fox's  Martyrology. 
It  was  not  published,  nor  even  written,  however,  until  after 
his  release  in  1672  ;  and  then  his  other  Avorks  amounted  to 
twenty-two,  in  all.  Thus  it  is  unwise  to  speak  of  the  Pil- 
grim, as  if  it  were  not  the  work  of  a  practised  writer. 
Buny  an  wrote  it  with  ease  when  he  caught  the  full  Idea  of 
it  ;  but  that  ease  arose  from  long  practice. 

In  1665,  lie  wrote  his  Treatise  on  the  Millenium  ;  or, 
"  The  Holy  City,  Kew  Jerusalem  ;"  but  whether  before  or 
after  his  work  on  the  Last  Bay,  is  uncertain.  If  before  it, 
then  he  intended  by  it  to  halance  the  glories  of  the  Latter 
Bay,  by  the  solemnities  of  the  Last  Bay.  If  after  it,  he  in- 
tended to  soften  these  solemnities,  by  the  bright  prospects 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  XIX 

of  the  preceding  Millenium.  And  in  his  circle  of  Readers, 
there  Avas  need  then  for  the  two  Books  in  the  same  year  ; 
for  the  one  is  too  exclusively  confined  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  and  the  other  to  the  meridian  of  the  Millenium. 
Bunyan,  however,  was  no  Millenarian,  in  either  the 
visionary  or  the  vulgar  sense  of  that  name.  The  Fifth 
Monarchy  Men  would  not  have  read  his  Book  then,  nor 
could  the  Personal  Reign  Men  bear  it  now.  I  mention 
this  distinctly,  because  the  subject  itself  is  unpopular  at 
present.  I  am  not  sorry  for  this  ;  but  I  am  very  sorry, 
now  that  the  IMissionary  Spirit  is  popular,  that  the 
Treatise  on  "The  Holy  City"  is  not  more  known  to 
general  readers.  Indeed,  on  Bunyan's  own  account, 
it  ought  to  be  studied  by  all  his  admirers.  I  had  no 
adequate  idea  of  the  grasj?  of  his  mind,  until  I  studied 
this  work.  Its  ingenuity  also  is  of  a  peculiar  kind.  In 
"Solomon's  Temple  Spiritualized,"  and  in  "The  House  of 
Lebanon,"  Bunyan  is  often  whimsical  as  well  as  ingenious. 
He  gets  a  little  angry  too,  when  a  Type  becomes  unman- 
ageable in  his  hands  ;  and  then,  he  never  writes  well,  until 
a  new  one  puts  him  into  good  humour  again.  Not  so  in 
his  "  Holy  City."  He  felt  all  but  inspired,  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end  of  it.  Indeed,  he  regarded  it  as  more 
a  Vision  than  his  Allegories.  And  no  wonder  ;  for,  when 
their  Characters  were  struck  out,  they  were  ready  to 
speak  for  themselves,  each  agreeably  to  his  own  name. 
But  the  gorgeous  magnificence  of  everything  in  the  Apoca- 
lyptic Jerusalem,  was  unlike  anything  Bunyan  had  ever 
seen  ;  and  not  at  all  in  keeping,  at  first  sight,  with  his 
general  idea  of  the  simplicity  and  spirituality  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church.  The  man  who  had  only  preached  in  Barns, 
and  Barn-like  Chapels,  and  only  to  the  poor  then,  seems  but 
ill  prepared  to  identif}«the  Church  with  a  city  paved  with 
gold,  and  blazing  with  jewels,  and  rich  with  the  honour 
and  glory  of  both  the  kings  and  nations  of  the  earth.     And 


XX  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

yet,  the  splendours  of  that  city  only  increase  the  spiritua- 
lity of  his  simple  views  of  the  Church. 

I  may  as  well  confess  at  once,  that  I  think  "  the  Holy 
City"  the  most  profound  and  eloquent  work  that  Bunyan 
ever  wrote.  He  himself,  I  suspect,  thought  so  too.  Not, 
however,  that  he  would  have  hrought  it  into  comparison 
with  his  Allegories,  or  preferred  it  at  all  to  them,  so  far  as 
general  usefulness  is  concerned.  But,  as  sweeping  the 
whole  circle  of  Church  Prophecy,  and  as  harmonizing 
Jewish  types  with  Christian  symbols,  and  as  reducing 
Apocalyptic  figures  to  Evangelical  facts,  and  dazzling 
visions  to  sober  realities,  he  did  both  think  and  say,  that 
he  had  caught  "  Something  of  that  Jasper  Light  in 
which  the  Holy  City  will  come  down."  He  did  reckon 
his  discoveries  to  be  both  providential  and  gracious  in  a 
very  special  sense,  and  from  "  no  ordinary  frame  of  spirit." 
And  the  work  justifies  his  own  opinion  of  it. 

Why,  then,  it  may  be  said,  has  it  almost  fallen  out  of 
notice  1  This  question  is  only  too  easily  answered.  There 
was  no  Missionary  Spirit  in  the  Christian  Church  when 
Bunyan  wrote  ;  and  thus  he  could  give  no  grand  practical 
bearing  to  his  own  grand  conceptions.  Indeed,  he  himself 
did  not  see  their  real  bearings  upon  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
so  far  as  the  Means  and  Manner  of  its  coming  are  con- 
cerned. How  could  he,  then  ?  But  he  was  as  surely 
enabled  by  God  to  write  "  the  Holy  City"  for  our  Times,  as 
to  write  the  Pilgrim  for  all  Time.  Even  as  an  Ecclesiastical 
Treatise,  it  is  invaluable  at  this  crisis  ;  for  it  presents  a 
view  of  the  Christian  Church,  which  no  Christian  durst 
quarrel  with,  and  which  none  but  Christians  could  under- 
stand. In  a  word,  I  never  saw  the  man  yet,  in  any 
Church,  Avho  would  not  be  both  wiser  and  better,  were  he 
as  familiar  with  Bunyan's  "  Jasper  Light,"  as  he  is  with 
the  Pilgrim  ;  nor  carvl  conceive  of  a  greater  service  to  Pro- 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BDNYAN.  XXI 

testant  Missions,  at  this  crisis  in  their  history,  than  giving 
"the  Holy  City,"  a  practical  bearing  upon  their  spirit. 
Whoever  will  do  that  in  Bunyan's  spirit,  will  serve  more 
generations  than  his  own. 

I  would  not,  even  if  I  could,  give  a  digest  of  this  work ; 
and  nothing  I  could  quote  would  either  sustain  or  illustrate 
what  I  have  said  of  it.  It  must  be  read  as  a  whole,  in 
order  to  be  appreciated.  Let  no  one  expect,  however,  to 
find  any  of  Bunyan's  wit,  fancy,  or  even  quaintness  in  it. 
It  is  all  child-like  in  its  piety,  and  angel-like  in  its  majesty ; 
for  both  its  grace  and  grandeur  arise  entirely  from  reflect- 
ing the  glories  of  Scriptural  language.  Hence  it  will  disap- 
point any  one  who  has  no  ear  for  the  music  of  the  Prophetic 
and  Apocalyptic  Harps  of  Inspiration,  or  who  has  no  eye  for 
the  sublime  and  beautiful  of  divine  truth.  It  will  off'end 
no  one,  however,  whose  taste  is  not  squeamish,  and  tire 
no  one  who,  like  myself,  has  no  taste  for  either  modem 
Millenarianism,  or  fanciful  interpretations  of  prophetic 
vials,  seals,  and  trumpets.  Bunyan's  Millenium  begins, 
indeed,  where  others  end. 

His  next  work  was  his  own  Life,  or  "  Grace  Abounding 
to  the  Chief  Sinners"  —  a  book  too  well  known  to  be 
characterised  here.  It  would  be  wrong,  however,  not  to 
mention,  that  he  had  to  lay  a  restraint  upon  himself  as  to 
its  style,  from  his  having  polished  his  preceding  work  so 
much.  He  elaborated  his  Holy  City,  he  says,  "  first  with 
doing,  and  then  with  undoing,  and  after  that  with  doing 
again."  He  had  thus  acquired  a  loftier  diction.  But  he 
had  also  been  amidst  the  final  glories  and  solemnities  of 
Time,  and  these  had  placed  all  his  past  history  in  their  own 
vivid  lights,  and  thus  thrown  him  into  his  natural  position 
again.  But  still  he  did  not  forget  his  new  command  over 
language.  Hence  he  said  of  his  auto-biography — "  I  could 
have  stepped  into  a  style  much  higher,  and  could  have 


XXll  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

adorned  all  things  more ;  but  I  dare  not.  God  did  not  'play 
with  me  in  trying  me,  nor  did  I  play  when  I  sunk  as  into 
a  bottomless  pit,  and  the  pains  of  hell  gat  hold  upon  me  ; 
wherefore  I  may  not  play  in  relating  them,  but  be  plain 
and  simple,  and  lay  down  the  thing  as  it  was.  He  that 
liketh  it,  let  him  receive  it :  and  he  that  doth  not,  let  him 
produce  a  better.     Farewell !" 

No  one  can  regret  this  resolution,  however  much  he  feel, 
with  Dr  Southey,  that  had  Bunyan  "  dreamt  of  being  '  for 
ever  known,'  and  taking  his  place  among  those  who  may 
be  called  the  Immortals  of  the  earth,  he  would  probably 
have  introduced  more  details"  of  his  life  ;  "  but  glorious 
dreamer  as  he  Avas,  this  never  entered  into  his  imagination." 
Dr  Cheever  also  says  with  great  truth  and  beauty — "  As 
you  read  the  '  Grace  Abounding,'  you  are  ready  to  say  at 
every  step,  Here  is  the  future  Author  of  Pilgrim's  Progress. 
It  is  as  if  you  stood  beside  some  great  Sculptor,  and  watched 
every  movement  of  his  chisel,  having  had  his  design  ex- 
plained to  you  before,  so  that  at  every  blow  some  new  trait 
of  beauty  in  the  future  statue  comes  clearly  into  view." 
Dr  Cheever  would  have  applied  this  praise  to  Bunyan's 
miniatures  also,  had  he  been  familiar  Avith  tliem. 

The  last  work  of  importance  that  Bunyan  wrote  in  prison 
Avas  on  "  Justification,"  or  "  No  Way  to  Heaven  but  by 
Jesus  Christ."  It  is  Lutheran  throughout,  but  Avithout 
either  violence  or  paradox.  It  is  acute  Avithout  sarcasm, 
and  clear  Avithout  being  superficial.  It  is  not,  hoAA^ever, 
profound  nor  original,  as  compared  Avith  his  treatise  on  the 
Covenants.  Still  there  are  some  vivid  pictures  in  it,  and 
some  keen  detections  of  Avhat  he  calls  "  the  fine-spun  thread 
of  unbelief."  One  Picture  I  must  extract.  "  Joshua  the 
High  Priest  stood  before  the  Angel,  clothed,  not  Avith  Right- 
eousness, but  Avith  filthy  rags.  Sin  upon  him,  and  Satan 
by  him.     And  this  before  the  Angel !     What  must  he  do  1 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  XXIU 

Go  away  ?  No,  there  he  must  stand  !  Can  he  speak  for 
himself  1  Not  a  word ;  Guilt  had  made  him  dumb  !  Had  he 
nothing  clean  1  No  !  But  his  lot  was  to  stand  before  Jesu-s 
Christ,  that  maketh  intercession  for  transgressors  ;  and  the 
Lord  said,  The  Lord  rebuke  thee,  Satan  !  But  is  Joshua 
now  quit  ?  No  ;  he  standeth  yet,  nor  can  he  clear  him- 
self. How  then  1  Why,  the  Lord  clothes  him  with  change 
of  raiment.  The  iniquity  was  his  own  ;  the  Raiment  was 
the  Lord's." 

This  vivacity,  although  it  do  not  prove  that  his  health 
was  unimpaired  by  his  long  imprisonment,  proves  that  his 
spirits  were  good  even  to  the  last ;  for  his  release  was  un- 
expected when  it  came,  and  thus  its  prospect  did  not  cheer 
him.  He  was  also  a  bold,  as  well  as  a  thankful  man,  when 
he  came  out  of  prison.  He  was,  as  ever,  a  peaceful  man, 
and  candid  even  to  a  proverb  ;  but  he  had  no  concessions 
to  make  to  his  enemies  when  he  was  restored  to  his  friends. 
Then  he  published  the  "  Confession  of  his  Faith  and  Prac- 
tice," and  prefaced  it  thus  :  —  "I  say  again  to  mine  Ene- 
mies, let  they  themselves  be  judges  if  any  thing  in  the 
following  doctrines  savour  of  either  heresy  or  rebellion  ; 
or  if  they  find  aught  in  my  writing  or  preaching  to  render 
me  worthy  of  almost  twelve  years'  imprisonment,  or  one 
that  deserveth  to  be  hanged,  or  banished  for  ever,  accord- 
ing to  their  tremendous  sentence  !  My  Principles,  indeed, 
are  such  as  lead  me  to  a  denial  to  communicate  with  the 
Ungodly  and  Profane,  in  the  things  of  the  Kingdom  of  Christ. 
Neither  can  I  consent,  in  or  by  the  Superstitious  Inventions 
of  this  world,  that  my  soul  should  be  governed  in  any  of 
my  approaches  to  God,  because  commanded  to  the  contrary, 
or  commended  for  so  refusing.  Wherefore,  excepting  in  this 
one  thing — for  which  I  ought  not  to  be  rebuked — I  shall, 
I  trust,  in  despite  of  slander  and  falsehood,  discover  myself 
at  all  times  a  peaceable  and  obedient  subject.     But  if  no- 


XXIV  A  CHKONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

thing  will  do,  unless  I  make  my  conscience  a  continual 
butchery  or  Slaughter-Shop, — unless,  putting  out  mine  own 
eyes,  I  commit  myself  to  the  Blind  to  lead  me,  as  I  doubt 
not  is  desired  by  some, — I  have  determined,  the  Almighty 
God  being  my  help  and  shield,  yet  to  suffer, — if  frail  life 
continue  so  long, — even  till  the  moss  shall  grow  upon  mine 
eyebrows,  rather  than  thus  violate  my  faith  and  principles. 
'  Will  a  man  leave  the  snow  of  Lebanon,  that  cometh  from 
the  Rock  of  the  field  ;  or  shall  the  cold  flowing  waters  that 
come  from  another  place  be  forsaken  ? ' "  Thus  Bunyan 
came  out  of  Prison,  as  Daniel  did  out  of  the  lions'  den,  and 
Shadrach,  Meshech,  and  Abednego  out  of  the  fiery  furnace, 
avowing  all  he  was  cast  in  for,  and  evincing  a  spirit  that 
neither  bonds  nor  death  could  crush  or  bend. 

But  whilst  this  dauntless  confessor  thus  flung  defiance 
at  his  Enemies,  he  meekly  said  to  his  Friends,  "  I  marvel 
not  that  both  yourself  and  others  do  think  my  long  im- 
prisonment strange  ;  or  rather,  strangely  of  me,  for  the  sake 
of  that ;  for,  verily,  I  should  have  done  it  myself  had  not 
the  Holy  Ghost  long  since  forbidden  me.  1  Pet.  iv.  12." 
He  then  tells  them  how  that  confinement  tested  his  princi- 
ples. "  I  was  never  so  sordid  as  to  stand  to  a  Doctrine, 
right  or  wrong  ;  much  less,  when  so  weighty  an  argument 
as  above  eleven  years'  imprisonment  is  continually  dogging 
of  me,  to  pause  and  weigh,  and  pace  again,  the  grounds  and 
foundations  of  those  Principles  for  which  I  thus  suff^ered. 
But  having  asserted  them,  not  only  at  my  Trial,  but  also 
since  ;  and  all  this  tedious  tract  of  time  examined  them  in 
cool  blood  a  thousand  times  by  the  Word  of  God,  and  found 
them  good,  I  cannot,  I  dare  not  now  revolt,  or  deny  the 
same,  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation  !"  This,  solemn  as  it 
is,  refers  to  his  Open  Communion  Principles,  as  well  as  to 
his  Creed  at  large.  His  Creed  is,  of  course,  thoroughly  Cal- 
vinistic ;  but  not  hyper  at  all.     He  was  not  inclined  to 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  XXV 

that ;  and,  had  he  been  so,  John  Dennes'  lash  and  logic, 
which  never  spared  Bunyan,  would  have  driven  him  from 
it ;  for  they  were  as  acute  as  they  were  unmerciful.  For 
this  reason,  amongst  others  more  historical  and  cogent,  I 
threw  doubts  upon  tlie  authorship  of  a  Treatise  on  Reproha- 
ti'on,  which  is  found  in  Hogg's  edition  of  Bunyan's  works. 
That  is  seven  years  ago,  and  I  have  seen  nothing  since  to 
change  my  opinion  of  its  spuriousness. 

Bunyan's  release  from  prison  did  not  relieve  him  from 
either  work  or  warfare.  His  Free  Communion  Principles, 
as  a  Baptist,  had  offended  the  whole  body  of  the  general 
Baptists,  prior  to  his  imprisonment ;  and  his  Confession  of 
Faith,  when  he  came  out,  provoked  their  best  and  worst 
pens.  He  was  thus  compelled  to  defend  himself.  But  he 
did  so,  like  himself,  briefly  and  blandly  ;  and  then  set  all 
his  heart  upon  his  original  object, — winning  souls.  He 
seems  to  have  been  shocked  by  the  increase  of  ignorance 
and  ungodliness  that  had  over-run  Bedfordshire  and  the 
whole  circle  of  his  old  Itineracy,  during  his  long  imprison- 
ment. The  sight  made  him  forget,  for  a  time,  not  only  all 
his  acquired  power  of  writing  with  effect,  but  also  his 
cherished  design  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress.  He  even  threw 
it  aside,  in  order  to  write  his  "  Light  to  them  that  sit  in 
Darkness."  He  could  think  of  nothing  but  that  darkness, 
from  the  moment  he  saw  it  with  his  own  eyes.  It  haunted 
him,  until  he  brought  his  book,  as  well  as  his  preaching, 
to  bear  upon  it. 

Such  being  its  origin,  I  need  not  say  that  the  book  is 
elementary.  It  is  also  written  in  what  Luther  would  have 
called  a  criLcified  style.  It  thus  leaves  no  room  for  criti- 
cism. This  is  equally  true  of  its  contemporary,  on  "  Chris- 
tian Behaviour."  That  too,  the  general  state  of  Family- 
Morals  around  him^  loudly  called  for.  In  a  literary  point 
of  view,  however,  it   is  interesting  as  the   germ  of  the 


XXVI  A  CHROrN^OLOGlCAL  CIMTIQUE  ON 

Treatise  on  "The  Beauty  of  Holiness,"  which  he  wrote 
ten  years  afterwards.  This  Bibliographic  fact  requires, 
therefore,  some  notice  of  it  here.  Besides,  it  ran  through 
four  Editions,  before  that  Treatise  came  out. 

It  seems  very  gratuitous,  but  it  is  necessary,  to  remind 
the  Reader  of  either  Work,  that  the  Restoration  had  a  most 
ruinous  influence  upon  both  public  and  private  morals. 
The  well  known  Thomas  Brooks,  of  London,  foresaw  this, 
and  tried  to  rouse  the  Public,  to  resist  the  incoming  tide  of 
profligacy  and  impiety,  whilst  yet  "The  Beau  ties  of  Holiness" 
were  compared,  by  the  Nation,  to  "  the  dew  of  the  morn- 
ing." Hence  he  brought  out  in  1662  his  elaborate  (but 
not,  as  might  be  expected  from  Brooks,  his  brilliant)  work, 
entitled,  "  The  Cro^^^l  and  Glory  of  Christianity  ;  or  a 
Holy  Life  the  only  way  to  Happiness."  It  is  written  up 
to  the  marh  of  the  Commonwealth  Tim^s  ;  but  it  was  thus 
above  the  spirit  brought  in  by  the  Restoration,  although  it 
was  dedicated  to  "  All  the  Lords,  Knights,  Ladies,  Gentry, 
Ministers  and  Commons  of  England,"  that  had  even  "  but 
the  least  desire,  the  least  mind,  or  the  least  will,  to  escape 
Hell,  and  go  to  Heaven."  But,  not  all  the  fame  of  Brooks, 
either  as  a  scholar,  a  wit,  or  a  preacher,  could  obtain  a 
hearing  for  him  in  the  circles  he  most  wished  for  one,  when 
Charles  II.  acquired  public  influence.  Brooks  himself,  in 
writing  it,  could  not  shake  off'  the  fear  of  failing  in  his  ob- 
ject ;  and  thus  he  failed  to  write  with  his  usual  point  and 
vivacity,  for  his  Book,  although  not  dull,  is  heavy,  not- 
withstanding all  its  historic  illustrations.  Bunyan,  I  have 
no  douljt,  felt  this,  as  well  as  saw  the  necessity  of  a  Treatise 
on  Holiness  "  for  rteiv  Converts,"  now  that  many  old  Con- 
verts were  less  strict  than  he  had  known  them.  Besides, 
the  Book  was  dear  as  well  as  "  long  and  tedious  ;"  and  his 
opinion  was  that  a  "niultitudeof  AVordsdroAvn  the  memory," 
and  that  "  the  Reader  may  find  inside  a  Sheet,  what  some 
aie  forced  to  hunt  a  whole  Quire  for."     He  did  not  say  this 


THE  WRITINGS  a:;d  gemus  of  BUNYAX.  XXVll 

of  Brooks  by  name  ;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  re- 
ference ;  for  the  work  was  the  Book  of  the  day^  on  the  sub- 
ject, amongst  the  old  Puritans  of  the  Commonwealth. 

These  remarks  cannot  offend  any  one  who  is  familiar 
with  Brook's  "  Beauty  of  Holiness,"  and  they  ought  not  to 
deter  an^^body  from  reading  it.  It  is  an  immense  mine  of 
intellectual  wealth,  often  massive  in  its  veins,  and  gorgeous 
in  its  fractures.  "  It  hath  dust  of  gold."  All  the  salient 
points  and  personages  of  all  History  obey  the  Author's 
])idding,  and  minister  to  his  purpose.  His  pedantry  is 
more  splendid  than  Jeremy  Taylor's,  although  not  so  chaste 
as  Thomas  Watson's  ;  and  his  fearless  fidelity  is  not  sur- 
passed by  either  Latimer  or  Baxter.  Still,  the  work  is 
heavy.  As  Bunyan  says,  "it  drovrns  the  memory."  I 
read  it  often  ;  but  it  always  reminds  me  of  the  galleries  of 
the  Louvre  or  Versailles,  where  the  profusion  of  pictures 
creates  confusion  of  mind. 

Banyan's  high  sense  of  the  beauty  of  a  holy  life  is,  per- 
haps, more  obvious  in  his  tract  on  "  Christian  Behaviour," 
than  in  the  treatise  on  the  "  Beauty  of  Holiness."  In  the 
latter  it  is  seen  chiefly  in  his  loathing  of  sin,  and  in  his  lofty 
conceptions  of  what  Believers  owe  to  Christ.  But  in  the 
former  it  is  seen  chiefly  in  his  relish  for  moral  harmonics,  in 
the  family  and  the  Church.  I  can  make  room  for  only  one 
specimen  of  this.  "  The  doctrine  of  the  Gospel  is  like  the 
dew  and  the  small  rain  that  distilleth  upon  the  tender 
grass,  wherewith  it  dolh  flourish  and  is  kept  green.  Chris- 
tians are  like  the  several  flowers  in  a  garden,  that  have 
each  of  them  the  dew  of  Heaven,  ^vhich,  being  shaken  with 
the  wind,  they  let  fall  at  each  other's  roots  ;  whereby  they 
are  jointly  nourished,  and  become  nourishers  of  each  other." 
It  will  be  readily  conceived  how  Bunyan  teaches  husbands 
and  wives,  parents  and  children,  masters  and  servants,  to 
verify  this  both  at  home  and  in  the  Church,  His  counsels 
are,  indeed,  homely  ;  but  they  are  stirring  also. 


XXVlll  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

Ilis  next  little  work,  "  InsLructioii  for  the  Ignorant," 
although  only  a  Catechism,  is  such  a  Catechism  as  only 
Bunyan  could  produce.  He  knew  by  bitter  experience 
what  Ignorance  is,  and  by  long  experience  what  forms  of 
Knowledge  find  the  readiest  entrance  into  vacant  minds. 
Hence,  he  makes  the  Ignorant  put  his  Questions  as  their 
own,  instead  of  asking  them  questions.  Nor  is  this  all.  He 
makes  them  identify  themselves  with  every  point  in  some 
way  ;  either  by  kindling  youthful  curiosity,  or  by  drawing 
out  the  natural  conscience  dexterously.  I  will  not  venture 
to  institute  either  a  contrast  or  a  comparison  between  Bun- 
yan's  Catechism,  and  those  most  in  use  now  in  Families  and 
Sunday  Schools  ;  but  I  do  most  respectfully  submit  to  the 
Heads  of  both  the  propriety  of  stud^dng  his  Catechism  for 
themselves,  to  see  whether  his  plan  might  not  facilitate 
their  own  work.  It  deserves  consideration  also,  whether 
Dr  Watts'  Catechisms  might  not  be  well  followed  by  that  of 
Bunyan  ?  Catechetical  associations,  with  the  name  of  the 
author  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  seem  to  me  invaluable, 
now  that  Bunyan  is  a  universal  favourite  with  children. 
Indeed,  I  can  conceive  of  nothing  so  fascinating  to  the 
young,  as  setting  them  to  ask  John  Bunyan  questions. 
Nothing,  however,  is  farther  from  my  design,  in  throwing 
out  this  hint,  than  to  insinuate  any  dissatisfaction  with  our 
current  Evangelical  Catechisms,  or  to  disturb  the  order  of 
Schools.  Usuage  and  order,  when  not  unfavourable  to  the 
development  of  the  young  mind,  ought  not  to  be  disturbed 
by  anything  less  practical  than  themselves.  Still  they 
ought  not  to  be  pleaded  against  anything  more  fascinating, 
if  it  be  equally  practical.  I  will  only  add,  that  Bunyan 
kept  his  long-cherished  design  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  in 
abeyance,  in  order  to  w/*e  his  Catechism. 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  UENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  XXIX 

So  he  did  also,  in  order  to  follow  up  his  "  Grace  Abound- 
ing," by  a  Treatise  on  "  Salvation  by  Grace."  This  was  a 
wise  step.  His  wonderful  Narrative  had  then  been  ten 
years  before  the  public  ;  but  as  it  was  not  a  fair  specimen 
of  the  ordinary  "  Reign  of  Grace,"  he  felt  imperatively 
called  upon  to  do  as  much  justice  to  Grace  as  it  "  reigns 
through  Christ  Jesus,"  as  a  Dispensation  or  Economy,  as 
he  had  done  to  it  as  it  reigned  in  his  own  case.  This  he 
did,  as  far  as  his  Calvinism  would  allow  him  ;  and  it 
allowed  him  to  go  as  far  as  Calvin  went,  when  he  said  in 
Geneva,  "  Because  many  entangle  themselves  in  doubtful 
and  thorny  imaginations,  while  they  seek  for  their  salva- 
tion in  the  hidden  Counsel  of  God,  let  us  learn  to  seek  no 
other  certainty,  save  that  which  is  revealed  to  us  in  the 
Gospel.  I  say, — let  this  seal  suffice  us,  that  '  whosoever 
believeth  in  the  Son  of  God  hath  Eternal  Life."  Calvvii's 
Acts,  p.  372.  London  1585.  Bunyan  says,  indeed,  not  a 
little  about  Election  in  his  work  on  Grace  ;  but  the  Reader 
who  should  suspect  him  of  meaning  but  "  a  Remnant,"  in 
the  vulgar  sense  of  that  word,  would  do  him  great  injus- 
tice. He  says  much,  too,  of  the  Sovereign  Will  of  God  ;  but 
chiefly  because  he  thought  it  "  Ooodwill,'''  and  the  only 
Will  that  could  be  calculated  upon  for  salvation.  Besides, 
he  was  too  shrewd  to  dream  that  any  thing  could  be  gained 
b}^  putting  the  will  of  Man  in  the  room  of  the  Divine  Will. 
And  as  to  Grace,  he  loved  best  to  contemplate  it  in  Him 
who  is  "  full  of  grace  and  truth."  Hence,  after  glancing 
at  it,  theologically,  in  Christ,  he  breaks  out  thus — "  But, 
methinks,  we  should  not  have  done  yet  Avith  this  grace  of 
the  Son.  Thou  Son  of  the  Blessed,  what  grace  was  mani- 
fested in  thy  condescension  !  Grace  brought  thee  down  from 
heaven,  Grace  stripped  thee  of  thy  glory.  Grace  made 
thee  bear  such  burdens  of  sin,  such  burdens  of  sorrow, 
such  burdens  of  curse,  as  are  unspeakable  !    0  Son  of  God, 


XXX  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

grace  was  in  all  thy  tears,  Grace  came  bubbling  out  from 
thy  bleeding  side  !  Here  is  Grace  indeed.  Unsearchable 
Riches  of  Grace.  Grace  to  make  Angels  wonder — to  make 
Sinners  happy — to  make  Devils  astonished  ! " 

We  come  now,  1676,  to  the  real  era  of  the  Pilgrim's 
Progress — an  event  hardly  less  influential  upon  the  mind 
of  England  than  its  contemporary,  the  marriage  of  the 
Prince  of  Orange  into  the  Stuart  family,  was  upon  the 
liberties  of  England.  Too  much  has  been  said  by  Critics 
and  Commentators  about  the  prison-origin  of  the  Pilgrim. 
This  censure  falls  most  heavily  upon  myself.  Indeed,  I 
was  unwilling  to  be  awakened  from  the  popular  dream, 
that  the  Pilgrim  was  u-ritten,  as  well  as  conceived,  in  Bed- 
ford Jail ;  for  I  never  heard  or  suspected  any  thing  else, 
until  Doe's  dates,  taken  from  Bunyan's  "  own  reckoning," 
came  into  my  hands  ;  and  then  500  pages  of  my  Life  of 
him  were  stereotyped.  But  neither  I,  nor  others,  can  be 
fairly  blamed  for  this  mistake.  "We  had  no  clue  to  the 
precise  Book,  of  which  Bunyan  says — 

" which,  when  almost  done, 

Before  I  was  aware,  I  this  begun." 

He  adds — 

"  And  thus  it  was.     I  writing  of  the  xcay 
And  race  of  Saints,  in  this  our  Gospel-day, 
Fell  suddenly  into  an  Allegory 
About  their  journey  and  their  way  to  Glory." 

But  this  is  equally  descriptive  of  his  "  Heavenly  Footman," 
and  his  "  Strait  Gate  ;"  and  no  original  edition  of  either 
was  to  be  found  ;  and  thus  no  date  could  be  assigned  to 
them  with  any  certainty.  Dr  Southey  felt  and  deplored 
this,  because  it  left  even  him  unable  to  trace  "  satisfactorily 
the  progress  of  Bunyan's  mind  ;"  but  he  had  no  doubt  as 
to  the  birth-place  of  the  Pilgrim.     And  in  one  sense,  and 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUN Y AN.  XXxi 

tliat  the  best,  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  its  prison-origin, 
so  far  as  its  spirit,  and  not  its  allegoric  form,  is  concerned ; 
for  Doe's  chronology  proves  only  that  the  '*'  Heavenly  Foot- 
man" was  written  nearl}'^  twenty  years  after,  and  the  "  Strait 
Gate"  the  year  before,  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  Thus  both 
conjecture  and  imagination  are  left  quite  at  liberty  to  fancy 
when,  and  how  much,  the  D^mgn  was  formed  in  prison  ; 
and,  what  is  better,  it  is  now  certain  that  the  Book  itself 
was  written  in  Bunyan's  own  Cottage  at  Elstow  ;  which 
will,  from  henceforth,  be  a  more  sacred  spot  than  ever. 

And  now,  if  I  might  venture  upon  a  guess,  as  to  the 
time  and  occasion  when  Bunyan  began  to  meditate  the 
design  of  making  his  own  experience  tell,  in  some  way,  as 
a  Pilgrimage,  I  would  fix  upon  the  Jasper-Light  Vision  of 
^■'  The  Holy  City,"  which  brought  all  his  powers  into  full 
play,  and  revealed  to  him  what  could  be  made  of  allegoric 
symbols.  My  chief  reason  for  this  opinion  is,  that  the 
catholic  spirit  of  the  tw^o  is  the  same.  No  one  could  teli 
from  either,  what  visible  church  the  v/riter  belonged  to.  The 
only  thing  obvious  is,  that  he  hated  Babylon  "  with  a  per- 
fect hatred,"  and  as  perfectly-  loved  "  all  who  love  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity." 

It  has  been  already  stated,  on  Doe's  authority,  that 
Bunyan  was  writing  "  The  Strait  Gate"  when  his  Allegory 
struck  him;  and  he  himself  says  that  he  was  "  almost  done" 
when  it  did  so.  Of  coui-se,  therefore,  the  point  at  wdiich 
the  vision  of  his  Pilgrim  broke  upon  him  "  suddenly  and 
unaw^ares,'^  is  somewhere  near  the  end  of  the  book.  But 
who  will  venture  to  fix  that  point  at  Avhich  he  laid  down 
his  pen,  and  shut  his  eyes,  upon  every  thing  around  him, 
in  order  to  see  the  new  creations  within  him  ?  I  will  not, 
certainly.  It  is  the  feet,  however,  that  he  begins  towards 
the  close  of  the  Book,  to  classify  and  designate  Professors 
of  religion  ;  and  soon  drops  Classes,  in  order  to  deal  with 


»' 


XXXll  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

individuals.  He  groups  "  the  Wordy,  the  Covetous,  the 
Wanton  Professors,"  and  then  brings  up  separately,  "  the 
Opi7U07iist,  the  Formalist,  the  Legalist,  the  Libertine,  the 
Latitudinarian,  and  the  Free-  Wilier''  Can  this  be  the  point 
where  his  Pilgrims  grouped  and  individualized  themselves 
upon  the  canvass  of  his  spirit  1  Did  the  "  Glorious  Dream- 
er" fall  asleep  here,  to  awake  in  his  own  spiritual  world  ? 
I  doubt  it.  These  Personifications  seem  hasty  and  rude 
drafts  of  Characters,  which  he  had  seen  during  his  trance, 
and  sketched  just  as  he  awoke.  Hence,  although  graphic, 
they  are  not  complete.  Any  one  can  perceive  that  Bunyan 
was  holding  himself  in,  when  he  hits  off  the  Formalist 
thus — "  He  is  a  man  that  hath  lost  all  but  the  shell  of  re- 
ligion. He  is  hot,  indeed,  for  his  form ;  and  no  wonder, 
for  that  is  his  all  to  contend  for."  So  in  the  case  of  the 
Legalist  ; — "  He  hath  no  life  but  what  he  makes  out  of 
duties.  This  man  hath  chosen  to  stand  or  fall  by  Moses, 
the  condemner  of  the  world."  So  also  the  Libertine  ; — 
"  He  pretendeth  to  be  against  forms  and  duties,  as  things 
that  gender  bondage.  This  man  pretends  to  pray  always, 
but  under  that  pretence  prays  not  at  all.  He  pretends  to 
keep  every  day  a  Sabbath,  but  he  casts  off  all  set  times  for 
the  worship  of  God."  Who,  that  knows  Bunyan's  vein, 
does  see  that  he  never  would  have  stopt  with  the^.e  master- 
strokes, had  he  not  had,  at  the  moment,  secret  reasons  ?  To 
me,  he  was  evidently  dashing  off  bold  outlines  in  haste,  in 
order  to  finish  his  Essay,  and  begin  his  Allegoiy  ;  for 
everything  in  the  "  Strait  Gate,"  afterwards,  is  equally 
brief  and  abrupt.  I  leave  this  explanation  with  the  Reader, 
as  Bunyan  did  his  theory  of  the  disproportion  of  the  gold 
and  silver  Chargers  in  the  Temple,  saying,  "  He  that  can 
find  a  fitter  ante-type  than  is  here  proposed,  let  him  do  it, 
and  I  will  be  thankful  to  him.  He  that  will  scoff,  let  him 
scoff.     The  Chargers  are  a  type  of  something^ 


THE  AVKITIKGS  AND   GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  XXX)U 

Tlie  only  thing  I  liave  any  room  or  inclination  to  say 
concerning  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  is,  tliat  it  went  through 
several  large  Editions  in  little  more  than  a  year.  This  is 
the  best  National  symptom  of  that  year ;  History  itself 
being  the  judge.  Is  it  not,  therefore,  time,  now  that  the 
editions  are  innumerable,  and  modern  ones  illustrated  by 
the  best  Artists  in  the  kingdom,  to  have  done  with  all  Criti- 
cism on  the  merits  of  that  immortal  Book  1  Too  much, 
indeed,  cannot  be  written  by  Genius,  Learning,  or  Piety, 
in  order  to  commend  and  enforce  the  great  Truths  it  incul- 
cates ;  and  it  is  good  taste,  as  well  as  good  policy,  to  con- 
nect such  Lectures  as  Dr  Cheever's  with  the  Book  ;  but 
no  writing  about  itself  can  make  it  either  plainer  or  more 
beautiful.  The  subject  may  be  expounded,  and  expanded, 
and  even  endeared  ;  but  the  Book  speaks  more  and  better 
for  itself  than  all  the  Talent  of  the  world  could.  It  is, 
indeed,  because  Bunyan  has  spoken  to  the  heart  of  all  his 
readers,  that  any  of  the  Critics  on  his  Pilgrim  are  listened 
to  ;  and  the  ready  ear  that  even  his  best  Critics  get,  is  lent, 
either  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  they  love  his  Pilgrim, 
or  to  compare  the  impressions  made  by  it  upon  extraordi- 
nary minds,  with  those  it  makes  upon  any  mind  that  has 
a  heart  or  a  conscience.  The  time  was,  when  0  vven,  John- 
son, Southey,  Macauley,  and  Montgomery  were  useful,  in 
succession,  even  to  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  ;  but  that  time 
is  past,  and  can  never  return  unless  "  Chaos  come  again." 
Let  such  writers  do  as  much  for  "  The  Holy  War,"  if  they 
would  serve  Bunyan  now. 

It  has  been  mentioned  that  the  Pilgrim  was  successful 
at  once.  It  createJ,  indeed,  a  great  sensation,  and  no  man 
more  enjoyed  its  popularity  than  Bunyan  himself.  "  A  good 
report  maketh  the  bones  fat,"  Solomon  says  ;  and  Bunyan 
verified  the  proverb.  He  came  out  of  prison,  as  might  be 
expected,  lank  and  pale ;  but  he  became  plump  and  rosy 

c 


XXXIV  A  CIir.0"OLO«ICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

Avlien  Ins  Pilgrim  grew  popular.  This  may  be  seen  by 
comparing  the  succession  of  his  p  rtraits.  Fresh  air  and 
free  exercise  had,  of  course,  much  to  do  with  this  ;  but  his 
spirits  recovered  their  tone  also  from  tlie  public  estimation 
won  l)y  his  Works.  ^ 

But  now,  what  does  the  reader  think  was  the  next  Work 
Bunyan  undertook,  Vvhen  his  Pilgrim  brought  him  into 
general  notice  ?  It  was  not  the  Second  Part  of  the  Allegory. 
That  was  not  published  until  1684.  It  was  his  Treatise  on 
"  The  Fear  of  God" — a  vrork  as  calm  and  cogent  as  the 
Pilgrim  is  fascinating. 

This  step  is  quite  in  keeping  with  Bunyan's  supreme  and 
absorbing  object,  as  a  Watcher  to  win  souls.  I  have  often 
repeated  this,  as  the  grand  secret  of  all  his  mental  efforts, 
and  as  the  end  to  which  he  held  all  things  in  subordination. 
And  now  that  he  had  the  public  ear  more  than  ever, 
he  more  than  ever  exerted  himself  to  give  a  right  tone  to 
the  public  mind.  Now  in  nothing  was  that  mind  more 
wanting  or  weak  at  the  time  th.an  in  Godly  Fear.  There 
was  none  of  that  Fear  in  the  Court ;  and  what  there  was  of 
it  in  the  country,  had  to  endure  "  cruel  mockings,"  as  well 
as  frequent  persecution.  Besides,  the  Pilgrim's  Progress 
was  lively,  and  thus  it  laid  hold  upon  minds  of  all  orders, 
and  was  read  with  avidity  by  men  of  all  characters.  This 
frightened  some  of  Bunyan's  solemn  ancj  austere  friends, 
and  led  them  to  question  the  prudence  of  a  Book  that  pleased 
even  the  Ungodly.  Xow  although  he  himself  was  not  at 
all  startled  by  this  kind  of  popularity,  but  even  regarded 
it  as  "  a  token  for  good,"  still  it  made  him  feel  deeply  that 
lie  ought  to  do  his  best,  and  that  at  once,  in  order  to  turn 
the  stream  into  right  channels,  and  thus  to  saving  account. 

But  before  characterizing  this  Book,  I  v>ill  just  mention, 
that  Bunyan  seems  to  ha\e  caught,  whilst  writing  it,  the 
idea  of  his  "  Iloly  War,"  almost  as  unexpectedly  as  the 


THE  WKITIKGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  XXXV 

Allegoric  Form  of  his  Pilgrim  whilst  finishing  his  "  Strait 
Gate."  I  judge  this,  from  illustrations  in  it  like  the  fol- 
lowing : — ''  The  Fear  of  God  is  seated  in  the  hearty  and  the 
heart  is,  as  I  may  call  it,  the  Main  Fortress,  the  mys- 
tical world,  Man,  It  is  not  placed  in  the  head,  as  know- 
ledge is  ;  nor  in  the  moutli,  as  utterance  is  ;  but  in  the 
heart  the  seat  of  all.  And  so  it  is  in  the  Will  special.  The 
way  the  will  goes,  all  goes. 

"  If  a  soul  should  be  possessed  of  all  things  possible,  yet 
if  this  Fear  of  God  be  wanting,  all  other  things  will  give 
place  in  time  of  Rebellion,  and  the  soul  be  found  under 
the  conduct  of  Hell,  when  it  should  stand  up  for  God 
and  his  Truth  in  the  world.  A  man  cannot  watch  if  he  be 
destitute  of  this  Fear.  Let  him  be  confident,  and  he  sleeps, 
and  unadvisedly  lets  into  the  Garrison  those  that  should 
not  come  there." 

Here,  I  apprehend,  is  the  origin,  as  to  j^rm,  of  Bunyan's 
Pneumatological  Allegory  ;  but  its  spirit,  as  in  the  case  of 
the  Experimental  one,  was  born  whilst  the  Jasper-Light 
shone  upon  the  Battle  of  Armageddon. 

As  the  Treatise  on  "  The  Fear  of  God"  is  well  kno\vii, 
and  a  wiser  cannot  be  easily  imagined,  its  great  defect, 
perhaps,  should  be  first  noticed  here.  Now  there  is  only 
one  Scriptural  motive  to  the  Fear  of  God  left  out ;  but  that 
one  is,  "  Unto  you  that  fear  My  name  shall  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  arise  with  healing  in  his  wings."  Now  the 
Saviour  did  shine  with  healing,  first,  upon  those  who  feared 
God  ;  and  still,  He  shines  to  heal  those  only  whom  Godly 
Fear  had  wounded.  There  is,  indeed,  nothing  to  heal  where 
there  is  no  fear  of  God. 

There  is  nothing  inconsistent  with  these  facts  in  Bunyan's 
Treatise,  but  much  in  perfect  harmony  with  them.  It  was, 
indeed,  his  utter  hopelessness  of  any  believing  the  Gospel, 
either  apart  from,  or  before,  the  Fear  of  God,  that  led  him 


XXXV^  A  CliKUAOLuGlCAL  CKITIQUE  ON 

to  place  its  necessity  in  so  many  lights,  and  to  ply  the 
understanding,  heart,  and  conscience  with  all  kinds  of 
arguments.  But  still,  the  great  fact  is  not  there  in  its  own 
form.  This  is  the  more  remarkahle,  because  his  own 
Christian,  in  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  is  a  living  illustra- 
tion of  it.  Besides,  no  man  in  the  world  knew  better  than 
he  did,  the  connection  between  Godly  Fear,  and  a  welcome 
to  appropriate  all  the  Promises  of  both  grace  and  glory. 
"  0  thou  Man  that  fearest  the  Lord,"  he  exclaims,  "  take 
this  Blessed  Word,  and  hang  it  like  a  chain  of  gold  about 
thy  neck, — '  As  Heaven  is  high  above  the  earth,  so  great  is 
his  Mercy  to  them  that  fear  him,'  Here  is  Mercy  nigh 
thee, — mercy  enough, — everlasting  mercy  upon  thee.  This  is 
long-lived  mercy.  It  will  live  longer  than  thy  sin,  longer 
than  thy  temptation,  longer  than  thy  sorrow,  and  longer 
than  thy  persecutors.  It  is  Mercy  "  from  everlasting"  to 
contrive  thy  salvation,  and  Mercy  "to  everlasting"  to  weather 
out  all  thy  adversaries,  Now,  what  can  Death  or  Hell  do 
to  him  that  hath  this  mercy  of  God  upon  him  V 

The  most  remarkable  parts  of  the  Book,  however,  are  up- 
on Ungodly  Fear  ;  and  that  he  deals  with  in  Luther's  style, 
as  well  as  in  his  ow^n,  "  This  Ungodl}^  Fear  puts  men  up- 
on adding  to  the  will  of  God  their  own  inventions  and 
performances,  as  a  means  of  pacifying  God.  How  it  has 
racked  and  tortured  the  Papists  for  hundreds  of  years  \ 
What  else  is  the  cause  of  their  penances,  such  as  creeping 
to  the  Cross,  going  barefoot  on  pilgrimages,  whipping 
themselves,  wearing  of  sackcloth,  giving  money  for  pardons, 
&c.  &e,,  but  this  ungodly  fear  of  God  !  For  could  they  be 
brought  to  believe  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins,  and  was 
raised  again  for  our  justification,  this  fear  would  vanish, 
and  so  consequently  all  these  things  with  it," 

But  whilst  any  Protestant  can  Lutheranize  in  this  way 
now,  not  many  would  venture  to  Bunyanize  in  the  follow- 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OrBUNYAN.  XXXVU 

ing  manner  : — "  Well,  poor  Christian,  how  much,  dost  thou 
think,  is  there  of  God — of  his  Spirit — of  his  Word,  in  thy 
Fears  (lest  thou  shouldest  be  in  a  delusion),  from  Fancy  or 
the  Devil  1  Just  no7ie  at  all  ;  for  it  cannot  be  that  (such 
fears)  are  the  natural  and  true  workings  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  ;  no,  not  even  as  a  Spirit  of  bondage.  These  are  not 
His  doings.  Dost  thou  not  see  the  very  paw  of  the  Devil 
in  them  ]  For  they  tend  to  the  hardening  of  thy  heart." 
Thus  Bunyan  treated  the  Racks,  upon  which  so  many 
Godly  Protestants  torticre  their  own  faith  and  hope,  as  delu- 
sion or  hypocrisy. 

His  next  Book  was  the  well  known  "  Come  and  Wel- 
come to  Jesus  Christ ;"  a  work,  not  very  easily  character- 
ized in  a  few  words,  although  as  highly  characteristic  of 
himself,  perhaps,  as  anything  he  ever  wrote.  He  cries  both 
"  Come," — and  "  Welcome,"  with  equal  energy  and  impar- 
tiality, to  all  who  have  any  wish  to  come.  Even  to  the 
Backslider,  he  says,  "  The  Text  makes  no  exception  against 
thee.  It  doth  not  sa}^,  any  '  htm,'  but  a  Backslider  ;  but 
indefinitely  openeth  wide  its  golden  arms  to  every  coming 
soul,  without  the  least  exception.  Therefore  thoic  mayest 
come." 

I  have  shewn,  in  another  place,  how  fond  Bunyan  was 
of  golden  emblems.  Here  is  another  specimen  of  this. 
"  God  hath  prepared  a  Golden  Altar  for  thee  to  offer  thy 
prayers  and  tears  upon.  It  is  called  golden  to  shew  its 
worth.  It  is  Christ.  This  Altar  then  makes  thy  Groans, 
golden  groans  ;  thy  Tears,  golden  tears  ;  thy  Prayers,  gol- 
den prayers,  in  the  eye  of  that  God  thou  comest  too."  But 
he  was  quite  as  fond  of  natural  images.  "  God  hath 
strewed  all  the  way  from  the  gate  of  Hell,  to  the  gate  of 
Heaven,  with  flowers  out  of  His  own  garden.  Behold  how 
the  Promises,  Invitations,  Calls,  lie  around  thee  like  lilies. 
Take  heed  that  thou  do  not  tread  them  under  foot,  sin- 
ner !" 


XXXVIU  A  CHEOXOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

In  this  work  also,  he  turns  to  good  account  his  long 
familiarity  with  Fox's  Book  of  Martyrs  ;  making  them 
'■  Cry,  Come,"  by  telling  what  they  themsslves  had  found 
\)\  coming  to  Christ. 

But,  to  what  Book  or  Event,  should  his  "  Holy  War"  be 
traced  %  A  satisfactory  antiquarian  answer  can,  I  think, 
be  given  to  this  question,  although  not  in  this  Essay.  His 
recollection  of  what  he  had  seen  at  Jie  siege  of  Leicester, 
whilst  he  was  in  Cromwell's  army,  and  the  traditions  still 
current  of  that  of  Bristol,  furnished  him  with  both  cha- 
racters and  manoeuvres  which  his  fertile  imagination  could 
well  turn  to  spiritual  account.  This  I  intend  to  shew  in  a 
Criticism  on  the  Holy  War,  should  no  professed  Antiqua- 
rian edit  and  annotate  that  Work.  In  the  meantime,  I 
must  content  myself  to  say  here,  that  it  was  written  at  the 
same  time  as  his  treatise  on  "  The  Greatness  of  the  Soul," 
in  this  volume.  This  coincidence  itself  throws  much  light 
upon  both  the  Allegory  and  the  Pinner's  Hall  Sermon. 
They  are  worthy  of  each  other,  as  well  as  explanatory  of 
each  other.  Indeed,  had  not  Bunyan  been  pondering  deep- 
ly the  greatness,  and  thus  the  worth,  of  the  soul,  he  could 
not  have  found  in  it  the  Population  of  Mansoul,  nor  even 
its  Magistracy.  On  the  other  hand,  had  not  the  Powers 
and  Affections  of  the  soul  taken  allegoric  forms  and  military 
action,  which  derive  life  from  well  known  men  and  events, 
even  he  could  not  have  condensed  the  massive  thoughts, 
nor  struck  out  the  brilliant  lights,  that  abound  in  the  ser- 
mon. This  hint  renders  all  Criticism  utterly  needless,  in 
the  case  of  the  treatise  on  the  Soul.  It  is  the  mine  out  of 
which  he  dug  all  the  ore  of  his  Allegory. 

It  will  not  surprise  any  one,  who  can  appreciate  the  tone 
of  thought  and  feeling  in  these  two  works,  to  be  told  that 
Bunyan's  "  Ban-en  Fig  Tree"  was  composed  at  the  same 
time.     Indeed,  it  is  just  one  of  those  turns  which  such 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  XXxix 

thinking  -was  likely  to  take,  whilst  his  mind  was  alter- 
nately thronged,  and  his  heart  thrilling,  with  vital  facts 
and  m^^stic  visions.  It  was  a  relief  also  from  the  strain  of 
dark  and  dazzling  imaginings,  and  the  terseness  of  logical 
reasoning.  Hence  The  Barren  Fig  Tree,  although  often 
awful,  and  always  searching,  is  rather  descriptive  than  dis- 
criminating. It  deals  also  much  with  the  body  as  well  as 
w-ith  the  soul  ;  and  in  this  style  ; — "  Death  is  now  at  work, 
cutting  down  the  harren  Professor  ;  hewing  both  bark  and 
heart  asunder.  The  man  groans,  but  Death  hears  him  not. 
He  looks  ghastly,  care-ful,  dejectedly.  He  sighs,  he  sweats, 
lie  trembles.  Death  matters  not !  And  now,  could  the 
soul  be  annihilated,  how  happy  it  would  count  itself  ?  But 
it  sees  that  this  must  not  be.  Stay  in  the  body,  it  may 
not.  Go  out  of  the  body,  it  dares  not.  Life  is  going, — the 
blood  settles  in  the  flesh,  the  lungs  being  no  more  able 
to  breathe  through  the  nostrils.  At  last,  out  goes  the  trem- 
bling soul,  and  is  seized  by  the  devils  that  lay  lurking  for 
it  in  the  chamber  !  Friends  take  care  of  the  body  ;  wrap 
it  up  in  the  sheet  or  coffin  ;  but  the  soul  is  out  of  their 
reach  !" 

As  a  specimen  of  Paraphrasing  a  Parable  without  dilu- 
ting or  torturing  it,  "  The  Barren  Fig  Tree"  is,  perhaps, 
the  very  best  that  could  be  studied  as  a  model.  There  is 
nothing  extraneous  in  it,  and  hardly  anything  extravagant. 
In  a  word,  it  gives  just  such  definite  and  condensed  views 
of  every  point,  as  might  be  expected  from  a  mind,  then 
giving  distinct  impersonation,  and  relative  power  or  place, 
to  abstractions,  as  well  as  new  weight  to  familiar  maxims. 
Hence  he  apprised  the  readers  of  his  Holy  War,  that  his 
"  next  Riddle  may  ring  their  passing  Bell." 

Bunyan's  mind  was  now  at  its  meridian,  in  all  senses. 

He    felt   this,  and    immediately  set  himself  to  write  the 

Second  Part  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress.     They  much  mis- 
fit 


xl  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

take,  Avho  imagine  that  he  was  a  "  Glorious  Dreamer,"  by 
accident,  or  witliout  effort.  His  ideas  and  designs  had 
many  a  form,  before  they  haunted  his  "  night  visions."  He 
did  dream,  asleep  and  awake  ;  and  wait  for  happy  moods  ; 
but  he  prepared  himself  for  these  helps.  Accordingly,  not 
all  the  popularity  of  the  first  part  of  his  Pilgrim  could 
tempt  him  for  years  to  write  a  second  part.  Even  the 
provocation  given  him  by  dishonest  imitators,  could  not 
prevent  him  from  "biding  his  time."  He  knew  that  he 
was  not  ready  to  come  up  to  his  own  mark,  nor  to  sustain 
Christiana  and  her  children,  as  the  family  of  Christian 
required,  and  the  Avorld  expected.  He,  therefore,  broke 
new  ground  for  himself,  by  studying  the  soul  profoundly, 
and  the  sieges  well  ;  and  not  until  then,  did  he  venture  to 
go  over  the  old  Pilgrimage  anew.  Nor  was  this  all  he  did, 
in  order  to  make  sure  that  the  second  Part  s)iould  not  in- 
jure the  first.  He  wrote  it  at  intervals,  whilst  engaged  up- 
on his  Life  of  Badman,  and  his  "  Holy  Life  the  Beauty  of 
Christianity."  Thus  there  was  "method"  in  Bunyan's  in- 
spiration. It  was  an  afflatus  when  it  came  ;  but  it  did  not 
come  unsought,  nor  abide  untested.  Mercy  is  the  imper- 
sonation of  the  beauty  of  that  Holiness  he  was  then  study- 
ing, as  well  as  partly  the  image  of  Badman's  lovely  wife. 
Dr  Southey,  although  he  had  not  this  clue  to  the  Life  of 
Badman,  saw  clearly  that  the  "  ability"  displayed  in  it  was 
not  "  inferior"  to  that  in  the  Pilgrims,  The  reason  is  now 
obvious.  Bunyan  was  measuring,  at  this  time,  bis  new 
"Works  by  his  old  standard,  and  trying  to  excel  himself. 
This  fact  will  account  also  for  much  of  both  the  acuteness 
and  comprehensiveness  that  distinguish  his  "  Pharisee  and 
Publican."  That  work  is  from  the  same  mint  and  metal 
as  the  Works  just  named.  Bunyan  came  out  of  Mansoul, 
and  up  from  his  second  Pilgrimage,  and  direct  from  tlie 
erave  of  Badman,  to  write  and  preach  it.     This  hint,  pev 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  xU 

haps,  will  tempt  some  who  read  it  in  the  first  Volume  of 
the  Puritan  Library,  to  go  over  it  again,  that  they  may  see 
for  themselves  how  much  his  other  studies,  at  the  time, 
gave  a  character  to  it.  He  himself  knew  how  its  point 
came  ;  and  said,  in  the  original  Preface,  "  1  say,  art  thou  a 
Pharisee  ?  Here  is  a  Pharisee  for  thee  !  Art  thou  a  Pub- 
lican ?  Here  is  a  Publican  for  thee  !  God  give  thee  the 
Publican's  heart,  if  thou  art  in  the  Publican's  sins,  that 
thou  mayest  partake  mercy  with  the  Publican  !  So  wish- 
eth  thy  friend,  John  Bunyan,  1685.'* 

The  Reader  has  already  formed  his  own  opinion  of  "  The 
Jerusalem  Sinner  Saved  ;"  the  first  treatise  in  the  former 
volume.  In  Charles  Doe's  Circular  it  stands  No.  38,  in  the 
order  of  Publication,  and  is  dated  1668,  the  year  in  which 
Bunyan  died.  This  is,  however,  anything  but  the  date  of 
its  composition.  As  a  Sermon,  it  was  his  favourite,  and 
had  been  preached,  in  substance,  in  many  places,  both  be- 
fore and  after  his  imprisonment.  In  the  original  Preface 
he  says  of  it,  "  I  have  found,  through  God's  grace,  good 
success  in  preaching  on  this  subject,  and  perhaps  so  I  may 
by  my  writing  upon  it  too.  I  have  been  vile  myself ;  but 
have  obtained  mercy  ;  and  I  would  have  my  companions 
in  sin  partake  of  mercy  too  :  and  therefore  I  have  wrote 
this  little  Book." 

The  fact  is,  he  wrote  and  published  so  much  during  what 
Doe  calls  "the  time  of  King  James  11. 's  Liberty  of 
Conscience,"  that  he  was  seized  with  "a  sweating  distem- 
per" in  the  spring  of  1688.  It  was  this  illness  that  was 
brought  back  by  his  journey  to  Reading.  "We  thus  get  at 
the  secret  of  his  hard  work.  He  had  no  confidence  in 
James,  and  therefore  he  made  the  most  of  Liberty  while  it 
lasted,  and  took  care  that  sermons  which  he  might  never 
preach  again  should  not  be  lost  to  the  world,  if  he  should 
be  aaain  silenced. 


XiU  A  CnRON(. LOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

There  remain  still,  tweiitv  of  Banyan's  Books  to  be  no- 
ticed upon  which  Doe's  Circular  throws  no  light  by  dates, 
and  thus  gives  no  clue  to  their  origin.  I  can,  therefore, 
only  characterise  such  of  them  as  throw  any  new  light 
upon  Bunyan  himself ;  for  it  would  he  hazardous  to  locate 
them  from  internal  evidence.  No  one,  I  think,  would  ven- 
ture to  decide  from  comparison,  which  of  his  two  Series  of 
beautiful  views  of  the  River  of  Life  was  first  given  ;  whether 
that  which  bears  this  name,  or  that  which  occurs  in  "  The 
Saint's  Privilege  and^  Profit."  It  is  not  worth  while  to 
illustrate  this.  But,  at  whatever  time  these  Treatises  were 
written,  they  were  deliberate  efforts,  and  made  in  happy 
moods.  The  boldest  thing,  perhaps,  in  descriptions  of  the 
River  of  Life,  springs  out  of  his  own  recollections  of  his 
"  insatiable  thirst"  for  mercy  and  grace,  when  his  soul  was 
as  in  a  thii*sty  land.  No  man  but  himself  would  have  dared 
to  compare  this  spiritual  thirst  to  the  cravings  of  Job's 
Behemoth  I  "  Nothing  but  Rivers  will  satisfy  such  a  soul. 
A  pond,  a  pool,  a  cistern,  will  hold  much  ;  but  ponds, 
pools,  cisterns  will  do  nothing  for  him.  He  is  like  him  of 
whom  it  is  said.  Behold,  he  drinketh  up  a  river,  and  hastetli 
not.  He  trusteth  that  he  can  draw  up  Jordan  into  his 
mouth.  He  taketh  it  with  his  eyes,"  Job,  xl.  23.  Bunyan 
felt  this  to  be  a  daring  comparison,  and  therefore  did  not 
name  Behemoth.  He  followed  it  up,  however,  by  another 
equally  bold,  and  more  sublime  in  its  associations.  His 
eye  fell  upon  that  prophetic  group  of  "  The  Poor  and 
Needy,"  whom  Isaiah  depicts  a?  seeking  water  whei-e  there 
is  none,  and  as  failing  for  thirst.  He  listens  to  the  Pro- 
mise, "  I  the  Lord  will  hear  them."  Then  he  asks  and 
answers  the  question,  "  But,  Lord,  how  wilt  thou  quench 
their  boundless  thirst  ?  '  I  will  make  the  Wilderyiess  a 
pool  of  water.'  Behold,  liere  is  a  pool  as  big  as  a  wilder- 
ness !    Enough,  one  would  think,  to  satisfy  any  soul.     Oh, 


THE  V»HITI.\aS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUKYAN.  xllU 

but  that  will  not  do  !  Wlierefore,  'He  will  open  Rivers, 
Fountains,  Springs  in  the  Desert' ;  "-arid  all  this  to  quench 
their  drought.  Tho}^  shall  be  abundantly  satisfied." — 
Saint's  Privilege. 

He  calls  the  other  Treatise,  "  Biniyan's  Bill  of  his 
Master's  Water  of  Life,"  in  allusion -to  the  cwr^s  effected 
by  Grace  ;  taking  care,  however,  notdo  let  his  Bill  be  con- 
founded with  the  Puffs  of  Quacks,  or  the  fame  of  "  Bath, 
Epsom,  or  Tunbridge  waters."  Beauty  is  the  chief  cha- 
racteristic of  this  Work,  so  far  as  it  is  literature.  All  the 
Rivers  named  or  described  in  Scripture  lie  before  him  ;  the 
dark,  the  fiery,  the  stormy,  and  the  bitter  waters  ;  "  but 
the  River  of  Life  is  none  of  them."  He  says  of  it,  "its 
streams  make  glad  the  City  of  our  God."  They  are  the 
waters  that  the  Doves  like  to  sit  by  (Song,  v.  12),  because 
in  their  clearness  they  can  see  tliemselves  as  in  a  glass. 
These  be  the  streams  in  wliich  thejc  wash  their  eyes,  and 
by  which  they  solace  and  content  themselves.  As  in  fair 
waters  a  man  may  see  the  body  of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
and  the  very  body  of  Heaven,  so  he  that  stands  upon  the 
brink  of  this  River,  and  washe.th  liis^eyes  with  its  water, 
may  see  the  Son  of  God,  the  Stars ,0:^  God,  the  glory  of  God, 
the  City  of  God."  This  will  reijiind'the  Reader  of  the  De- 
lectable Mountains,  where  the  Pilgrims  got  glimpses  of 
Emmanuel's  Land  through  "  the^  perspective  glass,"  when 
they  had  washed  in  the  founta,kis  of  water  amongst  the 
Vineyards. 

It  will  be  readily  supposed  that  the  crystal-clearness  of 
the  River  of  Life  fascinated  Bunyan.  So  it  has  many  ;  but 
only  few  in  this  way  : — "  I  hare  read  of  some  Seas  so  pure 
and  clear,  that  a  man  may  see  the  bottom,  though  they  be 
forty  feet  deep.  I  know  this  River  is  a  deep  river  ;  but  it 
is  not  said  that  we  can  see  no  bottom.  The  comparison 
implies  that  a  man  with  good  eyes  may  see  to  the  bottom. 


Xliv  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

So  then,  we  shall  look  down  througli  these  crystal  streams, 
and  see  what  he  at  the  bottom  of  all.  The  bottom  of  all 
is,  that  we  might  be  saved  !  '  These  things  I  say,'  saith 
Christ,  '  that  ye  might  be  saved  !'  What  a  good,  sound 
bottom  is  here  !"  It  will  be  easily  conceived  how  Bunyan 
dives  down,  as  well  as  looks  down,  into  the  depths  of  "  the 
channels  of  great  Avaters,"  and  what  "  goodly  pearls"  he 
brings  up.  He  commends  the  water  also  in  his  own  way, 
as  both  medicinal  and  life-giving.  "  This  is  Water  of  Life. 
Probatum  est.  It  is  the  Right  Holy  Water  !  It  never 
fails.  It  will  cure  the  most  desperate  melancholy.  It  will 
dissolve  doubts,  though  they  have  grown  as  hard  as  a  stone 
in  the  heart.  It  will  make  you  a  White  Soid,  which  is 
better  than  a  White  Skin.  It  gently  purgeth,  yet  more 
effectually  than  any  other  waters.  It  provokes  appetite, 
and  makes  us  long  for  what  is  wholesome.  If  any  ask 
why  I  thus  allegorize,  I  answer,  the  text  doth  lead  me 
to  it." 

The  two  or  three  Latin  phrases  in  this  Work  would  not 
prove  that  it  was  a  late  composition,  for  he  picked  up  seve- 
ral of  them  whilst  in  prison.  But  the  question,  "  why  alle- 
gorize thus  ?"  seems  to  throw  it  back  to  a  time  when  Alle- 
goiy  was  not  expected  from  him  ;  and  thus  to  place  it  prior 
to  his  Pilgrims.  But  however  this  may  be,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  as  to  what  was  his  last  Work.  That  was  his  "  Ac- 
ceptable Sacrifice  ;  or  the  Excellency  of  a  Broken  Heart." 
This  appears,  not  from  Doe,  but  a  Preface  by  a  well-known 
London  ^Minister,  Mr  Cokeyn,  in  1668.  A  fornight  after 
Bunyan's  funeral,  Cokeyn  wrote,  "  I  assure  the  Reader  that 
this  whole  Book  was  not  only  prepared,  but  also  put  into 
the  Press,  by  the  Author  himself,  whom  the  Lord  was 
pleased  to  remove  before  these  sheets  could  be  all  wrought 
off."  Thus  he  ended  his  own  Pilgrimage  as  he  began  it, 
by  "  the  sacrifice  of  a  broken  and  contrite  spirit ;"  but  how 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OP  BUNTAN.  xlv 

differently  it  was  presented  at  last,  to  what  it  was  at  first  ! 
Its  first  writhings  and  roarings  at  the  Altar  were  terrific  ; 
but  its  last  quiverings  were  all  as  gentle  as  they  were 
humble,  and  its  last  flames,  like  those  of  Manoah's  Sacri- 
fice, fit  for  an  Angel  to  ascend  in  to  Heaven. 

I  am  not  guessing,  in  thus  taking  his  last  Work  as  a 
specimen  of  his  own  contrite  spirit  in  the  last  year  of  his 
life.  Cokeyn,  who  knew  him  well,  and  loved  him  dearly, 
said,  whilst  his  ashes  were  hardly  cold,  "  What  is  here 
written  is  but  a  transcript  of  his  own  heart.  For  God, 
who  had  much  work  for  him  to  do  always,  was  always 
hewing  and  hammering  him  by  His  Word,  and  sometimes 
by  more  than  ordinary  trials  and  desertions.  The  design 
was,  the  humbling  and  keeping  of  him  low  in  his  own 
eyes.  The  truth  is,  as  he  himself  sometimes  acknowledged, 
he  alwa^'s  needed  the  "thorn  in  his  flesh,"  and  God  in 
mercy  sent  it  him,  lest,  under  his  extraordinary  circum- 
stances, he  should  be  exalted  above  measure  ;  which,  per- 
haps, was  the  evil  that  did  most  easily  beset  him. 

These  facts  give  a  peculiar  interest  to  the  Treatise  under 
notice.  There  is  a  calm  and  deep  solemnity  about  its 
appeals  to  the  conscience,  that  indicates,  if  not  a  dying 
man,  yet  a  subdued  man,  who  is  too  much  absorbed  with 
eternal  realities  to  be  either  violent  or  harsh,  even  when 
wielding  them  against  the  hardened.  When  Bunyan  was 
in  his  prime,  he  neither  would  nor  could  have  confined 
himself  to  a  few  weighty  words,  when  quoting  the  four 
"  Beholds  !"  in  Isaiah — "  Behold,  My  servants  shall  eat, 
but  ye  shall  be  hungry  ;  Behold,  My  servants  shall  drink, 
but  ye  shall  be  thirsty  ;  Behold,  My  servants  shall  rejoice, 
but  ye  shall  be  ashamed  ;  Behold,  My  servants  shall  sing 
for  joy  of  heart,  but  ye  shall  cry  for  sorrow  of  heart,  and 
howl  for  vexation  of  spirit,"  Ixv.  13.  This,  at  any  former 
time,  would  have  roused  him  to  "  the  top  of  his  bent." 


Xlvi  A  CHRONOriOQlCAL  CiClTIQUE  ON 

But  now,  he  calmly  says — "  How  many  Beholds  are  here  ! 
Every  Behold  is  not  only  a  call  to  the  careless  to  consider, 
but  also  a  declaration  from  Heaven  that  thus  it  shall  he  at 
last  with  all  impenitent  sinners.  That  is,  when  others  sing 
in  Heaven,  they  shall  sorrow  and  howl  in  hell !  AVherefore, 
let  me  advise,  that  3^ou  be  not  afraid  of,  but  rather  covet 
a  broken  heart  and  contrite  spirit.  I  say,  covet  it  now, 
now  the  "White  Flag  is  hung  out,  now  the  Golden  Sceptre 
of  Grace  is  held  forth  to  you.  And  take  this  notice,  that 
this  is  not  the  first  time  that  I  have  given  you  this  advice." 
He  evidently  felt,  when  he  wrote  thus,  that  it  might  be  the 
last  time  he  could  advise. 

It  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  from  this  subdued 
tone  in  the  peal  of  his  Thunderbolts,  that  "  The  Acceptable 
Sacrifice"  is  at  all  tame  or  vague.  So  far  is  this  from  being 
the  case,  that  a  better  specimen  of  his  natural  clearness  and 
comprehensiveness  could  hardly  be  named.  His  intellect  is 
in  full  and  healthy  play  all  throughout.  He  is  perfectly  at 
/t07ne  in  every  corner  and  secret  chamber  of  the  heart,  and 
for  ever,  in  each,  clothed  with  that  "  Light,"  vivid  and 
varying,  which  Scripture  alone  furnishes,  as  "  armour  of 
light,"  Indeed,  were  it  proper,  it  would  be  quite  possible, 
to  read  the  Book  as  a  specimen  of  discernment,  equally 
wonderful  and  wise  ;  for  when  he  seems  to  have  multiplied 
views  of  Heart,  until  no  more  can  be  added,  he  begins  a 
new  series,  as  if  the  former  had  hardly  touched  the  point 
at  all.  And  then,  these  "  endless  divisions  and  subdivisions," 
which,  are  so  tiresome,  in  general,  in  this  style  of  writing, 
are  never  distinctions  without  a  difference  here  ;  but,  as  in 
a  powerful  Microscope,  the  heart  is  placed  under  a  scale  of 
lenses,  which  always  shew  something  new  in  it. 

But  now,  Charles  Doe's  List  is  no  longer  a  lamp.  He 
dates  nothing,  after  Bunyan's  death  ;  and  thus  neither  the 
origin  nor  the  order  of  his  other  Works  can  be  ascertained 


THE  WRITINGS  AX1>  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAX.  xlvil 

from  this  source.  Old  Prefaces,  which  are  but  few,  and 
internal  evidence,  which  is  but  conjectural  as  to  time,  form 
my  only  guide  now.  There  is  reason  to  regret  this  ;  for 
some  of  his  undated  works  are  highly  characteristic  of  his 
best  moods.  In  general,  however,  they  bear  marks  of  both 
reading  and  observation,  that  take  them  out  of  his  Prison. 
This  is  not  the  case  with  Bunyan's  masterly  "  Defence 
of  Justification  by  Faith,"  written  in  answer  to  Bishop 
Fowler's  "  Design  of  Christianity."  That  was  written  in 
Prison,  although  not  whilst  his  imprisonment  was  rigid  ; 
for  the  Church-Book  at  Bedford  shews  that  in  1671,  the 
date  of  the  work,  he  was  often  present  at  Church  Meetings. 
He  wrote  it  also  in  order  to  ascertain  and  shew  his  own 
fitness  for  the  pastorate  of  that  Church,  as  well  as  in  order 
to  defend  the  Truth.  Fowler  was  not  Bishop  at  the  time  ; 
but  he  was  a  rising  man.  Bunyan  risked  something,  there- 
fore, by  pillorying  him,  whilst  he  himself  was  still  a 
prisoner.  He  both  knew  and  avowed  this  ;  but  it  did  not 
prevent  him  from  describing  his  Book  on  the  title-page,  as 
"  Mr  Fowler's  pretended  Design  of  Christianity  proved  to 
be  nothing  more  than  to  trample  under  foot  the  Blood  of 
the  Son  of  God,  and  the  idolizing  of  Man's  own  Righteous- 
ness ;  as  also  how,  while  he  pretends  to  be  a  Minister  of 
the  Church  of  England,  he  overthroweth  the  wholesome 
doctrine  contained  in  the  10th,  11th,  and  13th  of  the 
Thirty-Nine  Articles,  and  falleth  in  with  the  Quaker  and 
Romanist  against  them."  The  former  part  of  this  charge 
he  sustains  by  quotations  from  Fowler,  which  shew,  as 
Bunyan  says,  that  he  "  striddles  over  the  Atonement  like 
a  spider  over  a  wasp,  and  twists  against  Faith  like  an  eel 
upon  an  angle."  It  will  be  easily  conceived  how  such  a 
Book  called  all  his  powers  into  play.  He  calls  his  Answer 
"  an  unpleasant  Scribble  ;"  but  no  one  else,  who  loves  the 
Gospel,  will  think  it  so,  except  when  it  smacks  of  the  vio- 


xlviii  A  CHKOXOLOGICAL  ClUTIQUE  ON 

lence  of  its  times.  He  concludes  it  by  identifying  Fowler 
v»ith  Camjnan  the  Jesuit,  and  Pen  the  Quaker,  by  parallel 
passages  ;  but  he  had  not  a  name  then  to  give  it  notoriety. 
Even  his  uncontroversial  treatise  on  Justification  had  not 
reached  a  second  edition  when  he  died. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  know  when  or  where  he  wrote 
his  "  Israel's  Hope  Encouraged  ;"  for,  although  in  one  sense 
it  may  be  referred  to  any  period  of  his  literary  life,  yet  it 
is  so  clear  and  tender,  that  it  evidently  arose  out  of  some 
wide  and  warm  smypathy  with  spiritual  despondency,  in 
his  own  circle.  If  it  was  printed  as  he  wrote  it,  it  was 
intended  to  meet  cases  in  that  crisis,  "  when  Great  mercy, 
or  No  mercy,"  was  the  onh^  alternative.  How  Bunyan 
meets  a  case  of  this  kind,  may  be  judged  even  from  one 
specimen.  "  This  man  stands  under  Cains  gibbet,  with 
the  halter  of  Judas,  to  his  own  thinking,  fastened  around 
his  neck.  And  now  he  cries,  "  Great  Mercy,  or  Ko  Mercy  ; 
for  little  Mercy  will  do  me  no  good  !"  To  such  as  these, 
good  wishes,  tender  fingers,  or  compassion,  without  great 
mercy,  can  do  nothing.  But  God's  Mercy  is  great  and 
tender.  Things  may  be  great  in  quantity,  and  of  little 
value.  A  diamond  as  little  as  a  pea  is  preferred  to  a  pebble, 
though  big  as  a  camel.  God's  Mercies  are  rich  and  great. 
They  are  manifold,  as  well  as  a  multitude.  There  is  no 
single  Flower  in  God's  Gospel  Garden.  They  are  all  double 
or  treble.  There  is  a  wheel  within  a  wheel,  a  blessing 
within  a  blessing,  in  all  His  mercies."  But  whilst  this 
Work  abounds  in  such  efforts  to  mend  Bruised  Reeds,  and 
to  pour  fresh  oil  around  Smoking  Lamps,  it  is  equally  full 
of  an  instructive  theology.  How  wise  it  is,  must  be  judged 
from  one  specimen  ;  for  I  have  no  room  for  more.  His 
general  object  is  to  distinguish  between  Hope  and  Faith  ; 
and  his  plan  is  this  ;  "  Faith  comes  by  hearing  ;  Hope  by 
experience.     Faith  believeth  the  truth  of  the  Word  ;  Hope 


THE  WRITINGS  AND   GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  xlix 

waits  for  its  fulfilment.  Faith  lays  hold  of  that  end  of 
the  Promise  that  is  next  to  us,  viz.  as  it  is  in  the  Bible  ; 
Hope  lays  hold  of  that  end  of  the  Promise  that  is  fastened 
to  the  3Iercy-seat.  Thus  Faith  and  Hope  get  hold  of  both 
ends  of  the  Promise,  and  carry  All  aua}-  !  Faith  fights 
for  Doctrine  ;  Hope  for  a  reward.  Faith  for  what  is  in  the 
Bible  ;  Hope  for  what  is  in  Heaven.  Faith  purifies  the 
heart  from  bad  Principles  ;  Hope  fi-om  bad  manners. 
Faith  sets  Hope  to  work  ;  Hope  sets  Patience  to  work."  In 
a  word,  Bunyan  might  w^ell  close  this  Discourse  by  saying 
to  the  Reader,  "  Doth  not  all  this  make  thy  Heart  twitter 
after  the  Mercy  that  is  in  God  ]" 

His  well-known  treatise, ''  Paul's  Departure  and  CroA\-n" 
also,  smells  more  of  the  lamp  than  of  the  prison.  I  have 
searched  it  in  vain  for  any  reference  to  himself,  as  distin- 
guished from  other  sufferers,  although  its  object  is  to 
inspire  courage  under  existing  persecution  and  reproach  ; 
which  seem  to  have  been  rife  then.  Indeed,  he  evidently 
feared  at  the  time,  that  Martyrdom  awaited  some  of  his 
people,  as  well  as  himself.  Hence  he  appealed  to  them 
thus,  "  The  blood  of  the  Apostles  cried,  till  it  laid  Jerusalem 
in  heaps.  Thy  blood  also  will  have  a  voice  that  may  do 
others  good.  It  may  convince  thy  children,  neighbours, 
and  enemies,  that  thou  wert  for  the  Truth.  Yea,  who 
knows  but  their  thoughts  of  thy  resolution  to  resist  unto 
blood  for  Christ,  may  have  so  good  an  effect  upon  some,  as 
to  make  them  close  with  His  ways  ?  The  three  children 
in  the  fiery  Furnace  made  Nebuchadnezzar  cry  out,  "  There 
is  no  God  like  their  God."  Here  he  evidently  refers  to  the 
effect  of  Faithful's  martp-dom  upon  Hopeful,  in  his 
Pilgrim.  "  Now,  I  saw  in  my  dream,  that  Christian  went 
not  forth  alone  ;  for  there  was  one  whose  name  was  Hope- 
ful,— (being  so  made  by  the  beholding  of  Christian  and 


1  A  CHRONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE  ON 

Faithful  in  their  words  and  behaviour  whilst  suffering  at 
the  Fair), — who  joined  himself  unto  him,  and  entering 
into  a  Brotherly  Covenant,  told  him  that  he  would  he  his 
companion.  Thus  one  died  to  bear  Testimony  of  the 
Truth,  and  another  rises  out  of  his  ashes." 

By  this  process  of  reviewing  Bunyan's  undated  Works, 
they  might  be  classed  with  some  accuracy.  But  I  forbear, 
in  the  hope  of  yet  discovering  more  of  the  original  Prefaces. 
Besides,  enough  has  been  chronologically  authenticated,  to 
enable  future  Critics  to  trace  the  chief  stages  of  his  own 
mental  Pilgrimage  ;  and  that  was  all  I  proposed  to  myself  in 
this  Essay.  By  that,  therefore,  it  should  be  judged  ;  and 
not  by  the  degree  of  justice  it  does  to  Bunyan's  Works 
at  large  ;  for  I  have  been  excluded  from  the  use  of  many 
the  finest  things  they  contain  ;  having  used  them  profusely 
in  his  "Life  and  Characteristics."  No  one,  in  this  re- 
spect, would  have  had  my  disadvantages  to  write  under. 
Bunyan's  "  world"  would  have  been  "  all  before"  any  one 
else, 

"  where  to  choose  ;" 

whereas,  its  corners  only  have  been  open  ground  to  me. 
This  remark  I  owe  to  him,  in  order  that  no  one  may  judge 
of  his  Beauties  by  the  present  specimens  of  them.  These 
are  not  unfair  specimens  ;  but  they  are  certainly  not  the 
best,  good  as  they  are. 

It  will  now  be  understood,  why  no  notice  is  taken  here 
of  his  "  Solomon's  Temple  Spiritualized,"  his  "  House  of 
Lebanon,"  his  Antichrist's  Ruin,"  or  his  "  Notes  on  Gene- 
sis." I  was  debarred  from  re-setting  the  gems  they  contain. 
Besides,  could  these  works  be  dated,  as  to  the  time  of  their 
publication,  or  even  of  their  composition,  neither  their 
beauties  nor  their  peculiarities  would  illustrate  iheprogre-^s 


THE  WRITINGS  AND  GENIUS  OF  BUNYAN.  li 

of  his  mind.  His  spiritualizing  ])elorgs  to  his  history 
throughout.  He  began  with  his  intellectual  and  religious 
liabits  of  thinking,  in  Solomon's  Temple  ;  and  whether  in 
or  out  of  Prison,  he  was  for  ever  visiting  it,  or  John's 
"  New  Jerusalem,"  in  search  of  "  hidden  wisdom."  It  is, 
however,  want  of  room  that  prevents  all  notice  here  of  his 
"  Antichrist's  Ruin."  That  is  both  a  pithy  and  prudent 
Book,  and  w-ell  worth  republication,  now  that  the  endow- 
ment of  Popery  at  home  is  indorsing  Antichrist  abroad, 
and  now  that  England  is  flirting  with  Babylon,  whilst 
Germany  is  bearding  "  the  Beast." 

But,  to  conclude.  It  is  impossible  not  to  foresee  that  the 
bearings  of  this  Chronological  Critique  upon  the  birth- 
place of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  will  create  some  sensation^ 
now  that  Publishers  and  Artists  are  vying  with  each  other 
in  paying  homage  to  the  genius  of  John  Bunyan.  No  one, 
how^ever,  can  well  be  more  unwilling  than  I  was,  to  be 
couA^inced  that  it  was  not  written  in  Bedford  Jail.  Indeed,  I 
could  almost  wish  that  my  own  theory  should  be  upset. 
It  is  introduced  by  no  "  flourish  of  trumpets  ;"  for,  much 
as  I  love  the  Cottage  at  Elstow,  I  venerate  the  memory  of 
the  old  Jail  more  ;  and,  somehow,  do  so  still.  But  "  Facts 
are  chiels  that  winna  dyig."  It  is,  however,  also  the  fact, 
that  the  Pilgrim  w^as  both  designed  and  dreamt  of  in  Prison. 
It  became  an  Allegory  at  Elstow  ;  but,  as  a  Vision,  Bedford 
Jail  w^as  its  Patmos.  Nothing  is  more  obvious  to  me,  after 
much  and  long  research,  than  its  perfect  independence  of 
any  one  or  more  of  Bunyan's  other  Works.  There  is,  in 
most  of  those  which  preceded  it,  what  he  would  call,  "  a 
hankering"  after  a  living  form  of  the  Spiritual  Pilgrimage  ; 
and  this  design  both  took  some  features  from  what  he  had 
w^ritten  in  Jail,  and  gave  some  features  to  what  he  wrote 


lii  A  CURONOLOGICAL  CRITIQUE,  &C. 

on  coming  out  ;  but  these  Works  owe  far  more  to  his 
secret  purpose,  than  the  Pilgrim  owes  to  them.  In  a  word, 
the  Pilgrim's  Progress  is  related  to  them,  just  as  Milton's 
Paradise  Lost  is  to  his  prose  Works. 

B.OBEBT  Philip. 

Maberley  Cottage,  Dalston, 
bth  November  1845. 


THE 


GREATNESS    OF    THE    SOUL, 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF  :    WITH  THE  CAUSES  OP 
THE  LOSING  IT. 


GREATiN^ESS  OF  THE  SOUL. 


UNSPEAKABLElSrESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF ;  WITH  THE  CAUSES  OF 
THE  LOSING  IT. 


PREACHED  AT  PINNERS-HALL. 


"  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  9" — Mark,  viii.  37. 

I  HAVE  chosen  at  this  time  to  handle  these  words  among 
you,  and  that  for  several  reasons — 1.  Because  the  soul,  and 
the  salvation  of  it,  are  such  great,  such  wonderful  great 
things  ;  nothing  is  a  matter  of  that  concern  as  is,  and  should 
be,  the  soul  of  each  one  of  you.  House  and  land,  trades  and 
honours,  places  and  preferments,  what  are  they  to  salva- 
tion, to  the  salvation  of  the  soul  ?  2.  Because  I  perceive 
that  this  so  great  a  thing,  and  about  which  persons  should 
he  so  much  concerned,  is  neglected  to  amazement,  and  that 
by  the  most  of  men  ;  yea,  who  is  there  of  the  many  thou- 
sands that  sit  daily  under  the  sound  of  the  gospel  that  are 
concerned,  heartily  concerned,  about  the  salvation  of  their 
souls  ? — that  is,  concerned,  I  say,  as  the  nature  of  the  thing 
requireth.  If  ever  a  lamentation  was  fit  to  be  taken  up  in 
this  age  about,  for,  or  concerning  anything,  it  is  about,  for, 
and  concerning  the  horrid  neglect  that  everywhere  puts 

A 


2  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

forth  itself  with  reference  to  eternal  salvation.  Where  is 
one  man  of  a  thousand — yea,  where  is  there  two  of  ten 
thousand  that  do  shew  hy  their  conversation,  puhlic  and 
private,  that  the  soul,  their  own  souls,  are  considered  hy 
them,  and  that  they  are  taking  that  care  for  the  salvation 
of  them  as  becomes  them  ? — to  wit,  as  the  weight  of  the 
work  and  the  nature  of  salvation  requireth.  3.  I  have  there- 
fore pitched  upon  this  text  at  this  time  to  see  if  peradven- 
ture  the  discourse  which  God  shall  help  me  to  make  upon 
it  will  awaken  ^'ou,  rouse  you  off  of  your  beds  of  ease,  se- 
curity, and  pleasure,  and  fetch  you  down  upon  your  knees 
before  him,  to  beg  of  him  grace  to  be  concerned  about  the 
salvation  of  your  souls.  And  then,  in  the  last  place,  I  have 
taken  upon  me  to  do  this,  that  I  may  deliver,  if  not  you, 
3'et  myself,  and  that  I  may  be  clear  of  your  blood,  and 
stand  quit,  as  to  you,  before  God,  when  you  shall  for  ne- 
glect be  damned,  and  wail  to  consider  that  you  have  lost 
your  souls,  Ezek.  iii.  18,  19.  When  I  say,  saith  God  to  the 
wicked,  thou  shalt  surely  die,  and  thou  the  prophet  or 
preacher  givest  him  not  warning,  nor  speakest  to  warn  the^ 
wicked  from  his  wicked  way  to  save  his  life,  the  same 
\yicked  man  shall  die  in  his  iniquity,  but  his  blood  will  I 
require  at  thy  hand.  Yet  if  thou  warn  the  wicked,  and  he 
turn  not  from  his  wickedness,  nor  from  his  wicked  way, 
he  shall  die  in  his  iniquity,  but  thou  hast  delivered  thy 
soul. 

"  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?" 

In  my  handling  of  these  words,  I  shall  first  speak  to  the 
occasion  of  them,  and  then  to  the  words  themselves. 

The  occasion  of  the  words  was,  for  that  the  people  that 
now  were  auditors  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  that  followed  him, 
did  it  without  that  consideration  as  becomes  so  great  a  work 
— that  is,  the  generality  of  inem  that  followed  him  were 
not  for  considering  iirst  with  themselves  what  it  was  to 
profess  Christ,  and  what  that  profession  miglit  cost  them. 

"  And  when  he  had  called  the  })eople  unto  him,"  the  great 
multitude  that  went  with  him  (Luke,  xiv.  25),  "  with  his 
disciples  also,  he  said  unto  them,  Whosoever  will  come  after 


CNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF,  3 

me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow 
me,"  ver.  34.  Let  him  first  sit  down  and  count  up  the  cost 
Rnd  the  charge  he  is  like  to  be  at,  if  he  follow  me  ;  for  fol- 
lowing of  me  is  not  like  following  of  some  other  masters. 
The  winds  sit  always  on  my  face,  and  the  foaming  rage  of 
the  sea  of  this  world,  and  the  proud  and  lofty  waves  thereof, 
do  continually  heat  upon  the  sides  of  the  bark  or  ship 
that  myself,  my  cause,  and  my  followers  are  in  ;  he  there- 
fore that  will  not  run  hazards,  and  that  is  afraid  to  venture 
a  drowning,  let  him  not  set  foot  into  this  vessel.  "  So  Avho- 
soever  doth  not  bear  his  cross,  and  come  after  me,  he  cannot 
be  my  disciple.  For  which  of  3"ou,  intending  to  build  a 
tower,  sitteth  not  down  first  and  counteth  the  cost,  whether 
he  have  suflicient  to  finish  it  ?"  Luke,  xiv.  15,  26-29. 

True,  to  reason  this  kind  of  language  tends  to  cast  water 
upon  weak  and  beginning  desires,  but  to  faith  it  makes  the 
things  set  before  us,  and  the  greatness,  and  the  glory  of 
them,  more  apparently  excellent  and  desirable.  Reason  will 
say,  Then  who  will  profess  Christ  that  hath  such  coarse 
entertainment  at  the  beginning  ?  but  faith  will  say.  Then 
surely  the  things  that  are  at  the  end  of  a  Christian's  race 
in  this  world  must  needs  be  unspeakably  glorious,  since 
whoever  hath  had  but  the  knowledge  and  due  consideration 
of  them  have  not  stuck  to  run  hazards,  hazards  of  every 
kind,  that  they  might  embrace  and  enjoy  them.  Yea,  saitli 
faith,  it  must  needs  be  so,  since  the  Son  himself,  that  best 
knew  what  they  were,  even  "  for  the  joy  that  was  set  be- 
fore him,  endured  the  cross,  and  despised  the  shame,  and 
is  set  do^^1l  on  the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God,"  Heb. 
xii.  2. 

But,  I  say,  there  is  not  in  every  man  this  knowledge  of 
things,  and  so  by  consequence  not  such  consideration  as  can 
make  the  cross  and  self-denial  acceptable  to  them  for  the 
sake  of  Christ,  and  of  the  things  that  are  where  he  now  sit- 
teth at  the  right  hand  of  God  (Col.  ii.  2-4)  ;  therefore  oui 
Lord  Jesus  doth  even  at  the  beginning  give  to  his  followers 
this  instruction.  And  lest  any  of  them  should  take  distaste 
at  his  saying,  he  presenteth  them  with  the  consideration  of 


4  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

three  things  together — namely,  the  cross,  the  loss  of  life, 
and  the  soul ;  and  then  reasoneth  with  them  for  the  same, 
saying,  Here  is  the  cross,  the  life,  and  the  soul.  1,  The 
cross  ;  and  that  you  must  take  up,  if  you  will  follow  me. 
2.  The  life  ;  and  that  you  may  save  for  a  time,  if  you  cast 
me  off.  3.  And  the  soul ;  which  will  everlastingly  perish 
if  you  come  not  to  me,  and  abide  not  with  me,  Now  con- 
sider what  is  best  to  be  done.  Will  you  take  up  the  cross, 
come  after  me,  and  so  preserve  your  souls  from  perishing  ? 
or  will  you  shun  the  cross  to  save  your  lives,  and  so  run 
the  danger  of  eternal  damnation  ?  or,  as  you  have  it  in  John, 
will  you  love  your  life  till  you  lose  it  ?  or  will  you  hate 
your  life,  and  save  it  ?  "  He  that  loveth  his  life  shall  lose 
it,  and  he  that  hateth  his  life  in  this  world,  shall  keep  it 
unto  life  eternal,"  John,  xii.  25.  As  who  should  say,  He 
that  loveth  a  temporal  life,  he  that  so  loveth  it  as  to  shun 
the  profession  of  Christ  to  save  it,  shall  lose  it  upon  a  worse 
account  than  if  he  had  lost  it  for  Christ  and  the  gospel  ; 
but  he  that  will  set  light  by  it,  for  the  love  that  he  hath  to 
Christ,  shall  keep  it  unto  life  eternal. 

Christ  having  thus  discoursed  Avith  his  followers  about 
their  denying  of  themselves,  their  taking  up  their  cross  and 
following  him,  doth  in  the  next  place  put  the  question  to 
them,  and  so  leaveth  it  upon  them  for  ever,  saying,  "  For 
what  shall  it  profit  a  man  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul  ?"'  ver.  36.  As  who  should  say,  I  have 
bid  you  take  heed  that  you  do  not  lightly,  and  without  due 
consideration,  enter  into  a  profession  of  me  and  of  my  gos- 
pel (for  he  that  without  due  consideration  shall  begin  to 
profess  Christ,  will  also  without  it  forsake  him,  turn  from 
him,  and  cast  him  behind  his  back)  ;  and  since  I  have, 
even  at  the  beginning,  laid  the  considci-ation  of  the  cross 
before  you,  it  is  because  you  should  not  be  surprised  and 
overtaken  by  it  unawares,  and  l)ecause  you  should  know 
that  to  draw  back  from  me  after  you  have  laid  your  hand 
to  my  plough,  will  make  you  unfit  for  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, Luke,  X.  62.  Now,  since  this  is  so,  there  is  no  less  lies 
at  stake  than  salvation,  and  salvation  is  v^-orth  all  the 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  6 

world,  yea,  worth  ten  thousand  worlds,  if  there  should  be 
so  many.  And  since  this  is  so  also,  it  will  be  your  wisdom 
to  begin  to  profess  the  Gospel  with  expectation  of  the  cross 
and  tribulation,  for  to  that  are  my  gospellers  in  this  world 
appointed,  2  Thess.  iii.  3.  And  if  you  begin  thus,  and  hold 
it,  the  kingdom  and  crown  shall  be  yours ;  for  as  God  count- 
eth  it  a  righteous  thing  to  recompense  trilHilation  to  them 
that  troultle  you,  so  to  you  who  are  troubled,  and  endure 
it,  (for  we  count  them  happy,  says  James,  that  endure, 
James,  v.  11)  rest  with  the  saints,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall 
be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  migiity  augCiS  in  flaming 
fire,  to  take  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that 
obey  not  the  gospel,  &c.,  2  Thess.  1.  7.  And  if  no  less  lies 
at  stake  than  salvation,  then  is  a  man's  soul  and  his  all  at 
the  stake  ;  and  if  it  be  so,  what  will  it  profit  a  man  if,  by 
forsaking  of  me,  he  should  get  the  whole  world  1  "  For 
what  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul  V 

Having  thus  laid  the  soul  in  one  balance,  and  the  world 
in  the  other,  and  affirmed  that  the  soul  outbids  the  whole 
world,  and  is  incomparably  for  value  and  worth  beyond  it ; 
in  the  next  place,  he  descends  to  a  second  question  (which 
is  that  I  have  chosen  at  this  time  for  my  text),  saying,  "  Or 
what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?" 

In  these  words,  we  have  first  a  supposition,  and  such  an 
one  as  standeth  upon  a  double  bottom. 

The  supposition  is  this — That  the  soul  is  capable  of  being 
lost ;  or  thus — It  is  possible  for  a  man  to  lose  his  soul.  The 
double  bottom  that  this  supposition  is  grounded  upon  is, 
].  A  man's  ignorance  of  the  worth  of  his  soul,  and  of  the 
danger  that  il  is  in  ;  and  the  second  is,  for  that  men  com- 
monly do  set  a  higher  price  upon  present  ease  and  enjoy- 
ments than  they  do  upon  eternal  salvation.  The  last  of 
these  doth  naturally  follow  upon  the  first ;  for  if  men  be 
ignorant  of  the  value  and  worth  of  their  souls,  as  by  Christ 
in  the  verse  before  is  implied,  what  should  hinder  but 
that  men  should  set  a  higher  esteem  upon  that  with  which 
their  carnal  desires  are  taken,  than  upon  that  about  which 


6  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

they  are  not  concerned,  and  of  which  they  know  not  the 
worth  ? 

But  again,  as  this  by  the  text  is  clearly  supposed,  so  there 
is  also  something  implied — namely,  tliat  it  is  impossible  to 
possess  some  men  with  the  worth  of  their  souls  until  they 
are  utterly  and  everlastingly  lost.  "  What  shall  a  man  give 
in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?"  That  is,  men  when  their  souls 
are  lost,  and  shut  down  under  the  hatches  in  the  pits  and 
hells  in  endless  perdition  and  destruction,  then  they  will  see 
the  worth  of  their  souls,  then  they  will  consider  what  they 
have  lost,  and  truly  not  till  then.  This  is  plain,  not  only 
to  sense,  but  by  the  natural  scope  of  the  words,  "  What 
shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?"  Or  what  would 
not  those  that  are  now  for  sin  made  to  see  themselves  lost, 
by  the  light  of  hell-fire  (for  some  will  never  be  convinced 
that  they  are  lost  till,  with  rich  Dives,  they  see  it  in  the 
light  of  hell-flames)  ;  I  say,  what  would  not  such,  if  they 
had  it  (Luke,  xvi.  22,  23),  give  in  exchange  for  their  im- 
mortal souls,  or  to  recover  them  again  from  that  place  and 
torment  ? 

1.  The  first  is,  that  the  loss  of  the  soul  is  the  highest,  the 
greatest  loss — a  loss  that  can  never  be  repaired  or  made  up. 
"  What  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  V — that 
is,  to  recover  or  redeem  his  lost  soul  to  liberty. 

I  shall  observe  two  truths  in  the  words. 

2.  The  second  truth  is  this,  that  how  unconcerned  and 
careless  soever  some  now  be  about  the  loss  or  salvation  of 
their  souls,  yet  the  day  is  coming  (but  it  will  then  be  too 
late)  when  men  will  be  willing,  had  they  never  so  much, 
to  give  it  all  in  exchange  for  their  souls.  For  so  the  ques- 
tion implies — "  What  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
soul  ?"  What  ^^■ould  he  not  give  1  What  would  he  not 
])art  with  at  that  day,  the  day  in  which  he  shall  see  him- 
self damned,  if  he  had  it,  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ? 

The  first  observation,  or  truth,  drawn  from  the  Avords  is 
cleared  by  the  text,  "  What  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange 
for  his  soul  ?" — that  is,  there  is  not  any  thing,  nor  all  the 
things  under  heaven,  were  they  all  in  one  man's  hand,  ana 


TJNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  7 

all  at  his  disposal,  that  would  go  in  exchange  for  the  soul, 
that  vv'ould  be  of  value  to  fetch  back  one  lost  soul,  or  that 
Avould  certainly  recover  it  from  the  confines  of  hell.  "  The 
redemption  of  the  soul  is  precious,  it  ceaseth  for  ever," 
Psalm  xlix.  3.  And  what  saith  the  words  before  the  text 
but  the  same — "  For  what  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall 
gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul  ?"  What  shall 
profit  a  man  that  has  lost  his  soul  ?  Nothing  at  all,  though 
he  hath  by  that  loss  gained  the  whole  world  ;  for  all  the 
world  is  not  worth  a  soul,  not  worth  a  soul  in  the  eye  of 
God  and  judgment  of  the  law.  And  it  is  from  this  consi- 
deration that  good  Elihu  cautioneth  Job  to  take  heed,  "  Be- 
cause there  is  wrath,"  saith  he,  "  beware,  lest  he  take  thee 
away  with  his  stroke  :  then  a  great  ransom  cannot  deliver 
thee.  Will  he  esteem  thy  riches  ?  no,  not  gold,  nor  all  the 
forces  of  strength,"  Job,  xxxvi.  18,  19.  Riches  and  power, 
what  is  there  more  in  the  world  ?  for  money  answereth  all 
things — that  is,  all  but  soul-concerns.  It  can  neither  be  a 
price  for  souls  while  here,  nor  can  that,  with  all  the  forces 
of  strength,  recover  one  out  of  hell-fire. 

DocT.  1. — So,  then,  the  first  truth  drawn  from  the  words 
stands  firm — namely,  that  the  loss  of  the  soul  is  the  highest, 
the  greatest  loss,  a  loss  that  can  never  be  repaired  or 
made  up. 

In  my  discourse  upon  this  subject  I  shall  observe  this 
method — 

I.  I  shall  shew  you  what  the  soul  is. 

II.  I  shall  shew  you  the  greatness  of  it. 

III.  I  shall  shew  you  what  it  is  to  lose  the  soul. 

IV.  I  shall  shew  you  the  cause  for  which  men  lose  their 
souls  ;  and  by  this  time  the  greatness  of  the  loss  will  be 
manifest. 

I.  I  shall  shew  you  what  the  soul  is,  both  as  to  the 
various  names  it  goes  under,  as  also  by  describing  of  it  by  its 
powers  and  properties,  though  in  all  I  sliall  be  but  brief, 
for  I  intend  no  long  discourse. 

1.  The  soul  is  often  called  the  heart  of  man,  or  that  in 
and  by  which  things,  to  either  good  or  evil,  have  their  rise; 


8  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

thus  desires  are  of  the  heart  or  soul ;  3^ea,  before  desires,  the 
first  conception  of  good  or  evil  is  in  the  soul,  the  heart.  The 
heart  understands,  wills,  affects,  reasons,  judges,  but  these 
are  the  faculties  of  the  soul ;  wherefore  heart  and  soul  are 
often  taken  for  one  and  the  same.  ''  My  son,  give  me  thy 
heart.  Out  of  the  heart  proceedeth  evil  thoughts,"  &c., 
Prov,  xxiii.26 ;  Matt.  xv.  19  ;  1  Peter,  iii.  15 ;  Psalm  xxvi.  6. 

2.  The  soul  of  man  is  often  called  the  spirit  of  a  man, 
because  it  not  only  giveth  being,  but  life  to  all  things  and 
actions  in  and  done  by  him.  Hence  soul  and  spirit  are  put 
together  as  to  the  same  action — "  With  my  soul  have  I  de- 
sired thee  in  the  night,  yea,  with  my  spirit  within  me  will 
I  seek  thee  early"  (Isaiah,  xxvi.  9)  ;  when  he  saith,  "  Yea, 
with  my  spirit  I  will  seek  thee,"  he  explaineth  not  only 
with  what  kind  of  desires  he  desired  God,  but  with  what 
principal  matter  his  desires  were  brought  forth :  it  was  with 
my  soul,  saith  he  ;  to  wit,  with  my  spirit  within  me.  So, 
that  of  Mary,  "  My  soul,"  saith  she,  "  doth  magnify  the 
Lord,  and  my  spirit  hath  rejoiced  in  GoK  my  Saviour  ;"  not 
that  soul  and  spirit  are  in  this  place  to  be  taken  for  two 
superior  powers  in  man ;  but  the  same  great  soul  is  here 
put  under  two  names  or  terms,  to  shew  that  it  was  the 
principal  part  in  Mary — to  wit,  her  soul,  that  magnified 
God,  even  that  part  that  could  spirit  and  put  life  into  her 
whole  self  to  do  it.  Indeed,  sometimes  spirit  is  not  taken 
so  largely,  but  is  confined  to  some  one  power  or  faculty  of 
the  soul,  as  "  the  spirit  of  my  understanding  ;  and  be  re- 
newed in  the  spirit  of  your  mind"  (Job,  xx.  3)  ;  and  some- 
times by  spirit  we  are  to  understand  other  things  :  but 
many  times  by  spirit  we  must  understand  the  soul,  and  also 
by  soul  the  spirit. 

3.  Therefore,  by  soul  Ave  understand  the  spiritual,  the 
best,  and  most  noble  part  of  man,  as  distinct  from  the  body, 
even  that  by  which  we  understand,  imagine,  reason,  and 
discourse.  And  indeed  (as  I  shall  further  shew  you  pre- 
sently), the  body  is  but  a  poor  empty  vessel  without  this 
great  thing  called  the  soul.  "  The  body  without  the  spirit, 
or  soul,  is  dead"  (James,  ii.  26),  or  nothing  but  a  clod  of 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  9 

dust  (her  soul  departed  from  her,  for  she  died.)      It  is 
therefore  the  chief  and  most  noble  part  of  man. 

4.  The  soul  is  often  called  the  life  of  man,  not  a  life  of 
the  same  stamp  and  nature  of  the  brute ;  for  the  life  of 
man — that  is,  of  the  rational  creature — is  that,  as  he  is 
such,  wherein  consisteth  and  abideth  the  understanding  and 
conscience,  &c.  Wherefore  then  a  man  dieth,  or  the  body 
ceaseth  to  act,  or  live  in  the  exercise  of  the  thoughts,  which 
formerly  used  to  be  in  him,  when  the  soul  departeth,  as  I 
hinted  even  now  ;  her  soul  departed  from  her,  for  she  died  ; 
and  as  another  good  man  saith,  "  in  that  very  day  their 
thouglits  perish,"  ike,  Psalm  cxlvi.  4.  The  first  text  is 
more  emphatical :  "  Her  soul  was  in  departing"  (for  she 
died.)  There  is  soul  of  a  beast,  a  bird,  &c.,  but  the  soul  of 
a  man  is  another  thing ;  it  is  his  understanding,  and  reason, 
and  conscience.  Sec.  And  this  soul,  when  it  departs,  he 
dies.  Nor  is  this  life,  when  gone  out  of  the  body,  annihi- 
lated, as  in  the  life  of  a  beast ;  no,  this  in  itself  is  immortal, 
and  has  yet  a  place  and  being  when  gone  out  of  the  body 
it  dwelt  in  ;  yea,  as  quick,  as  lively  is  it  in  its  senses,  if 
not  far  more  abundant,  than  when  it  was  in  the  body  ;  but 
I  call  it  the  life,  because  so  long  as  that  remains  in  the 
body,  the  body  is  not  dead.  And  in  this  sense  it  is  to  be 
taken  where  he  saith,  "  He  that  loseth  his  life  for  my  sake, 
shall  save  it  unto  life  eternal  ;"  and  this  is  the  soul  that  is 
intended  in  the  text,  and  not  the  breath,  as  in  some  other 
places  is  meant.  And  this  is  evident,  because  the  man  has 
a  being,  a  sensible  being,  after  he  has  lost  the  soul  ;  I  mean 
not  by  the  man  a  man  in  this  world,  nor  yet  in  the  body, 
or  in  the  grave  ;  but  by  man  Ave  must  understand  either 
the  soul  in  hell,  or  body  and  soul  there  after  the  judgment 
is  over.  And  for  this  the  text  also  is  plain,  for  therein  we 
are  presented  with  a  man  sensible  of  the  damage  that  he 
has  sustained  by  losing  of  his  soul :  "  What  shall  a  man 
give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?"     But, 

5.  The  whole  man  goeth  under  this  denomination  ;  man, 
consisting  of  body  and  soul,  is  yet  called  by  that  part  of 
himself  that  is  most  chief  and  principal.     "  Let  every  soul 


10  THE  GREATNESS  OF   THE  SOUL,  AND 

(that  is,  let  every  man)  be  subject  to  the  higher  powers," 
Rom.  xiii.  1.  "  Then  sent  Joseph,  and  called  his  father 
Jacob  to  him,  and  all  his  kindred,  threescore  and  fifteen 
souls,"  Acts,  vii.  14.  By  both  these,  and  several  other 
places,  the  whole  man  is  meant,  and  is  also  so  to  be  taken 
in  the  text ;  for  whereas  here  he  saith,  "  What  shall  it  pro- 
lit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his 
own  soul  ?"  it  is  said  elsewhere,  "  For  what  is  a  man  ad- 
vantaged if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  him- 
self ?"  and  so  consequently,  or,  "  What  shall  a  man  give  in 
exchange  (for  himself)  for  his  soul  ?"  (Luke,  ix.  25)  his 
soul  when  he  dies,  and  body  and  soul  in  and  after  judgment  ? 
6.  The  soul  is  called  the  good  man's  darling.  "  Deliver, 
Lord,"  said  David,  "  my  soul  from  the  sword,  my  darling 
fi-om  the  power  of  the  dog,"  Psalm  xxii.  20.  So  again  in 
another  place,  he  saith,  "  Lord,  how  long  wilt  thou  look 
on  ?  rescue  my  soul  fi-om  destruction,  my  darling  fi-om  the 
power  of  the  lions,"  Psalm  xxxv.  17.  ,My  darling — this 
sentence  must  not  be  applied  universally,  but  only  to  those 
in  whose  eyes  their  souls,  and  the  redemption  thereof,  is 
precious.  My  darling — most  men  do  by  their  actions  say 
of  their  soul,  my  drudge,  my  slave  ;  nay,  thou  slave  to  the 
devil  and  sin ;  for  what  sin,  what  lust,  what  sensual  and 
beastly  lust  is  there  in  the  world  that  some  do  not  cause 
their  souls  to  bow  before  and  yield  unto  ?  But  David  here, 
as  you  see,  calls  it  his  darling,  or  his  choice  and  most  ex- 
cellent thing  ;  for  indeed  the  soul  is  a  choice  thing  in 
itself,  and  should,  were  all  wise,  be  every  man's  darling,  or 
chief  treasure.  And  that^t  might  be  so  with  us,  therefore 
our  Lord  Jesus  hath  thus  expressed  the  worth  of  the  soul, 
saying,  "  What  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?" 
But  if  this  is  true,  one  may  see  already  what  misery  he  is 
like  to  sustain  that  has,  or  shall  lose  his  soul  ;  he  has  lost 
his  heart,  his  spirit,  his  best  part,  his  life,  his'darling,  him- 
self, his  whole  self,  and  so  in  every  sense  his  all  ?  "  And 
now  Avhat  shall  a  man,"  what  would  a  man,  but  what  can 
a  man  that  has  thus  lost  his  soul,  himself,  and  his  all,  "  give 
in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?"     Yea,  what  sliall  the  man  that 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  11 

has  sustained  this  loss  do  to  recover  all  again,  since  this 
man,  or  the  man  put  under  this  question,  must  needs  he  a 
man  that  is  gone  from  hence,  a  man  that  is  cast  in  the 
judgment,  and  one  that  is  gone  down  the  throat  of  hell. 

But  to  pass  tliis,  and  to  proceed.  I  come  next  to  de- 
scribe the  soul  unto  you  by  such  things  as  it  is  set  out  by  in 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  they  are  in  general  three — 

I.  The  powers  of  the  soul. 

II.  The  senses,  the  spiritual  senses  of  the  soul. 

III.  The  passions  of  the  soul. 

I.  We  will  discourse  of  the  powers,  I  may  call  them  the 
members,  of  the  soul ;  for  as  the  members  of  the  body,  being 
many,  do  all  go  to  the  making  up  of  the  body,  so  these  do 
go  to  the  completing  of  the  soul. 

1.  There  is  the  understanding  ;  which  may  be  termed  the 
head,  because  in  that  is  placed  the  eye  of  the  soul  ;  and 
this  is  that  which,  or  by  which  the  soul,  discerning  things 
that  are  presented  to  it,  and  that  either  by  God  or  Satan — 
this  is,  that  by  which  a  man  conceiveth  and  apprehendetli 
things  so  deep  and  great  that  cannot  by  mouth,  or  tongue, 
or  pen,  be  expressed. 

2.  There  is  also  belonging  to  the  soul,  the  conscience,  in 
which  I  may  say  is  placed  the  seat  of  judgment ;  for  as  by 
the  imderstanding  things  are  let  into  the  soul,  so  by  the 
conscience  the  evil  or  good  of  such  things  are  tried,  espe- 
cially when  in  thee. 

3.  Place  the  judgment,  which  is  another  part  of  this  noble 
creature,  has  passed  by  the  light  of  the  understanding,  his 
verdict  upon  what  is  let  into  the  soul. 

4.  There  is,  as  also  the  fancy  or  imagination,  another 
part  of  this  great  thing,  the  soul ;  and  a  most  curious  thing 
this  fancy  is  ;  it  is  that  which  presenteth  to  the  man  the 
idea,  form,  or  figure  of  that,  or  any  of  those  things,  where- 
with a  man  is  frighted  or  taken,  pleased  or  displeased.  And, 

5.  The  mind  (another  part  of  the  soul)  is  that  unto  which 
this  fancy  presenteth  its  things  to  be  considered  of,  because 
without  the  mind  nothing  is  entertained  in  the  soul. 

6.  There  is  the  memory  too,  another  part  of  the  soul ;  and 


12  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

that  may  be  called  the  register  of  the  soul ;  for  it  is  the 
memory  that  receiveth  and  keepeth  in  remembrance  what 
has  passed,  or  has  been  done  by  the  man,  or  attempted  to 
be  done  unto  him  ;  and  in  this  part  of  the  soul,  or  from  it, 
will  be  fed  the  worm  that  dieth  not  when  men  are  cast  into 
hell ;  also  from  this  memory  will  flow  that  peace  at  the 
day  of  judgment  that  saints  shall  have  in  their  service  for 
Christ  in  the  world. 

7.  There  are  the  affections  too,  which  are,  as  I  may  call 
them,  the  hands  and  arms  of  the  soul ;  for  they  are  they 
that  take  hold  of,  receive,  and  embrace  what  is  liked  by 
the  soul ;  and  it  is  a  hard  thing  to  make  tlie  soul  of  a  man 
cast  from  it  what  its  affections  cleave  to  and  have  embraced. 
Hence  the  affections  are  called  for  when  the  apostle  bids 
men  "  seek  the  things  above  ;  set  your  affections  upon 
them,"  saith  he  (Col.  iii.)  ;  or,  as  you  have  it  in  another 
place,  "  Lay  hold  of  them  ;"  for  the  affections  are  as  hands 
to  the  soul,  and  they  by  which  it  fasteneth  upon  things. 

8.  There  is  the  will,  which  may  be  called  the  foot  of  the 
soul,  because  by  that  soul,  yea,  the  whole  man,  is  carried 
hither  and  thither,  or  else  held  back  and  kept  from  moving. 

These  are  the  golden  things  of  the  soul,  though  in  carnal 
men  they  are  every  one  of  them  made  use  of  in  the  service 
of  sin  and  Satan.  For  the  unbelieving  are  throughout  im- 
pure, as  is  manifest,  because  their  "  mind  and  conscience 
(two  of  the  masterpieces  of  the  soul)  are  defiled"  (Tit.  i. 
15)  ;  for  if  the  most  potent  parts  of  the  soul  are  engaged  in 
their  service,  what,  think  you,  do  the  more  inferior  do  1 
But,  I  say,  so  it  is  ;  the  more  is  the  pity  ;  nor  can  any 
help  it.  "  This  work  ceaseth  for  ever,"  unless  the  great 
God,  who  is  over  all,  and  can  save  souls,  shall  himself  take 
upon  him  to  sanctify  the  soul,  and  to  recover  it,  and  per- 
suade it  to  fall  in  love  with  another  master. 

But,  I  say,  what  is  man  without  this  soul,  or  wherein 
lieth  his  pre-eminence  over  a  beast  1  (Eccles.  iii.  19-21)  ; 
nowhere  that  I  know  of ;  for  both  (as  to  man's  body)  go  to 
one  place,  only  the  spirit  or  soul  of  a  man  goes  upward — 
to  wit,  to  God  that  gave  it,  to  be  by  him  disposed  of  with 


UNSPEAKABLEIVESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  lli 

respect  to  things  to  come,  as  they  have  been  and  have  done 
in  this  life.     But, 

II.  I  come,  in  the  next  place,  to  describe  the  soul  by  its 
senses,  its  spiritual  senses,  for  so  I  call  them  ;  for  as  the 
body  hath  senses  pertaining  to  it,  and  as  it  can  see,  hear, 
smell,  feel,  and  taste,  so  can  the  soul ;  I  call,  therefore, 
these  the  senses  of  the  soul,  in  opposition  to  the  senses  of 
the  body,  and  because  the  soul  is  the  seat  of  all  spiritual 
sense,  where  supernatural  things  are  knowTi  and  enjoyed  ; 
not  that  the  soul  of  a  natural  man  is  spiritual  in  the  apostle's 
sense,  for  so  none  are  but  those  that  are  born  from  above 
(1  Cor.  iii.  1-3),  nor  they  so  always  neither.  But  to  go 
forward. 

1.  Can  the  body  see  ?  hath  it  eyes  1  so  hath  the  soul. 
"  The  eyes  of  the  understanding  being  enlightened,"  Ephes. 
i.  18.  As,  then,  the  body  can  see  beasts,  trees,  men,  and  all 
visible  things,  so  the  soul  can  see  God,  Christ,  angels, 
heaven,  devils,  hell,  and  other  things  that  are  invisible  ; 
nor  is  this  property  only  peculiar  to  the  souls  that  are  illumi- 
nated by  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  the  most  carnal  soul  in  the 
world  shall  have  a  time  to  see  these  things,  but  not  to  its 
comfort,  but  not  to  its  joy,  but  to  its  endless  woe  and  misery, 
it  dying  in  that  condition.  Wherefore,  sinner,  say  not  thou, 
"  I  shall  not  see  him  ;  for  judgment  is  before  him,  and  he 
will  make  thee  see  him,"  Job,  xxxv.  14. 

2.  Can  the  body  hear  ?  hath  it  ears  ?  so  hath  the  soul  ; 
see  Job,  iv.  12,  13.  It  is  the  soul,  not  the  body,  that 
hears  the  language  of  things  invisible.  It  is  the  soul  that 
hears  God  when  he  speaks  in  and  by  his  word  and 
Spirit  ;  and  it  is  the  soul  that  hears  the  devil  when  he 
speaks  by  his  illusions  and  temptations.  True,  there  is 
such  an  union  between  the  soul  and  the  body  that  ofttimes, 
if  not  always,  that  which  is  heard  by  the  ears  of  the  body 
doth  influence  the  soul,  and  that  which  is  heard  by  the 
soul  doth  also  influence  the  body  ;  but  yet  as  to  the  organ 
of  hearing,  the  body  hath  one  of  his  own  distinct  from  that 
of  the  soul,  and  the  soul  can  hear  and  regard  even  then 
when  the  body  doth  not  nor  cannot  ;  as  in  time  of  sleep 


14  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

deep  sleep  and  trances,  when  the  body  lieth  by  as  a  thing 
that  is  useless.  "  For  God  speaks  once,  yea  twice,  yet  man 
(as  to  his  body)  perceiveth  it  not.  In  a  dream,  in  a  A-ision 
of  the  night,  when  deep  sleep  falleth  upon  men  in  slum- 
Ijerings  upon  the  bed  ;  then  openeth  he  the  ears  of  men, 
and  sealeth  their  instruction,"  &c.,  Job,  xxxiii.  3  4-lG. 
This  must  be  meant  of  the  ears  of  the  soul,  not  of  the  body  ; 
for  that  at  this  time  is  said  to  be  in  deep  sleep  ;  moreover, 
this  hearing,  it  is  a  hearing  of  dreams,  and  the  visions  of 
the  night.  Jeremiah  also  tells  us  that  he  "  had  the  rare 
and  blessed  visions  of  God  in  his  sleep"  (Jer.  xxxi.  26), 
and  so  doth  Daniel  too,  by  the  which  they  were  greatly 
comfoi-ted  and  refreshed  ;  but  that  could  not  be,  w^as  not 
the  soul  also  capable  of  hearing.  "  I  heard  the  voice  of  his 
words,"  said  Daniel,  "  and  when  I  heard  the  voice  of  his 
words,  I  was  in  a  deep  sleep  on  my  face,  and  my  face  to- 
wards the  ground,"  Dan.  x.  8,  9. 

3.  As  the  soul  can  see  and  hear,  so  it  can  taste  and  relish, 
even  as  really  as  doth  the  palate  belonging  to  the  body. 
But  then  the  thing  so  tasted  must  be  that  which  is  suited 
to  the  temper  and  palate  of  the  soul.  The  soul's  taste  lieth 
not  in,  nor  is  exercised  about  meats,  the  meats  that  are  for 
the  body.  Yet  the  soul  of  a  saint  can  taste  and  relish  God's 
word,  and  doth  ofttimes  find  it  sweeter  than  honey,  nour- 
ishing as  milk,  and  strengthening  like  to  strong  meat,  Heb. 
vi.  5  ;  Psalm  xix.  10  ;  1  Peter,  ii.  1-3  ;  Heb.  v.  12-14. 
The  soul  also  of  sinners,  and  of  those  that  are  unsanctified, 
can  taste  and  relish,  though  not  the  things  now  mentioned, 
yet  things  that  agree  with  their  fleshly  minds,  and  with 
their  polluted,  and  defiled,  and  vile  affections.  They  can 
i-elish  and  taste  that  which  delighteth  them  ;  yea,  they  can 
find  soul-delight  in  an  alehouse,  a  whorehouse,  a  playhouse. 
Ay,  they  find  pleasure  in  the  vilest  things,  in  the  things 
most  offensive  to  God,  and  that  are  most  destructive  to 
themselves.  This  is  evident  to  sense,  and  is  proved  by  the 
daily  practice  of  sinners.  Nor  is  the  word  barren  as  to 
this  :  "  They  feed  on  ashes,"  Isaiah,  xliv.  20,  "  They  spend 
tlieir  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread,"  Isaiah,  Iv.  2. 


UNSPEAKABLENESB  OF  THE  LOSS  THEHEOP.  15 

"  Yea,  they  eat,  and  suck  sweetness  out  of  sin.     They  eat 
M\)  the  sin  of  my  people  as  they  eat  bread,"  Hosea,  iv.  8. 

4,  As  the  soul  can  see,  hear,  and  taste,  so  it  can  smell, 
and  bring  refreshment  to  itself  that  way.  Hence  the 
church  saith,  "  Her  lingers  dropped  with  sweet-smelling 
myrrh"  (Cant.  v.  5,  13);  and  again,  she  saith  of  her  be- 
loved, that  "  his  lips  dropped  sweet-smelling  myrrh."  But 
how  came  the  church  to  understand  this,  but  because  her 
soul  did  smell  that  in  it  that  was  to  be  smelled  in  it,  even 
in  his  word  and  gracious  visits,  The  poor  world  indeed 
cannot  smell,  or  savour  anything  of  the  good  and  fragrant 
scent  and  sweet  that  is  in  Christ  ;  but  to  them  that  be- 
lieve "  his  name  is  as  an  ointment  poured  forth,  and  there- 
fore the  virgins  love  him,"  Cant.  i.  3. 

5.  As  the  soul  can  see,  taste,  hear,  and  smell,  so  it  hath 
the  sense  of  feeling,  as  quick  and  as  sensible  as  the  body. 
He  knows  nothing  that  knows  not  this  ;  he  whose  soul  is 
past  feeling,  has  his  conscience  seared  with  a  hot  iron, 
Eph.  iv.  18,  19  ;  1  Tim.  iv,  2.  Nothing  so  sensible  as  the 
soul,  nor  feeleth  so  quickly  the  love  and  mercy,  or  the  anger 
and  wrath  of  God.  Ask  the  awakened  man,  or  the  man 
that  is  under  the  convictions  of  the  law,  if  he  doth  not  feel, 
and  he  will  quickly  tell  you  that  he  faints  and  dies  away 
by  reason  of  God's  hand,  and  his  wrath  that  lieth  upon 
him.  Read  the  first  eight  verses  of  the  38th  Psalm  (if  thou 
knowest  nothing  of  what  I  have  told  thee  by  experience), 
and  there  thou  shalt  hear  the  complaints  of  one  whose  soul 
lay  at  present  under  the  burden  of  guilt,  and  that  cried  out 
that  without  help  from  heaven  he  could  by  no  means  bear 
the  same.  They  also  that  know  what  the  peace  of  God 
means,  and  what  an  eternal  weight  there  is  in  glory,  know 
well  that  the  soul  has  the  sense  of  feeling,  as  well  as  the 
sense  of  seeing,  hearing,  tasting,  and  smelling.  But  thus 
much  for  the  senses  of  the  soul. 

III.  I  come,  in  the  next  place,  to  describe  the  soul  by  tJie 
passions  of  the  soul.  The  passions  of  the  soul,  I  reckon, 
are  these,  and  such  like — to  wit,  love,  hatred,  joy,  fear,  grief, 
anger,  &c.     And  these  passions  of  the  soul  are  not  therefore 


16  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

good,  nor  therefore  evil,  because  they  are  the  passions  of  the 
soul,  but  are  made  so  by  two  things—to  wit,  principle  and 
object.  The  prmciple  I  count  that  from  whence  they  flow, 
and  the  object  that  upon  which  they  are  pitched.  To  ex- 
plain myself. 

1.  For  that  of  love.  This  is  a  strong  passion  ;  the  Holy 
Ghost  saith  "  it  is  strong  as  death,  and  cruel  a3  the  grave," 
Cant.  viii.  6,  7.  And  it  is  then  good,  when  it  flows  from 
faith,  and  pitches  itself  upon  God  in  Christ  as  the  object, 
and  when  it  extendeth  itself  to  all  that  is  good,  whether  it 
be  the  good  word,  the  good  work  of  grace,  or  the  good  men 
that  have  it,  and  also  to  their  good  lives.  But  all  soul  love 
floweth  not  from  this  principle,  neither  hath  these  for  its 
object.  How  many  are  there  that  make  the  object  of  their 
love  the  most  vile  of  men,  the  most  base  of  things,  because 
it  flows  from  vile  aff^ections,  and  from  the  lusts  of  the  flesh  ] 
God  and  Christ,  good  laws  and  good  men,  and  their  holy 
lives,  they  cannot  abide,  because  their  love  wanteth  a  prin- 
ciple that  should  sanctify  it  in  its  firSt  motion,  and  that 
should  steer  it  to  a  goodly  object.     But  that  is  the  first. 

2.  There  is  hatred,  which  I  count  another  passion  of  the 
soul  ;  and  this,  as  the  other,  is  good  or  evil  as  the  principle 
from  whence  it  flows  and  the  object  of  it  are.  "  Ye  that 
love  the  Lord,  hate  evil"  (Psalm  xcvii.  10  );  then  therefore 
is  this  passion  good,  when  it  singleth  out  from  the  many  of 
things  that  are  in  the  world  that  one  filthy  thing  called 
sin  ;  and  when  it  setteth  itself,  the  soul,  and  the  whole 
man,  against  it,  and  engageth  all  the  powers  of  the  soul  to 
seek  and  invent  its  ruin.  But,  alas,  where  shall  this  hatred 
be  found  1  What  man  is  there  whose  soul  is  filled  with 
his  passion,  thus  sanctified  by  the  love  of  God,  and  that 
makes  sin,  which  is  God's  enemy,  the  only  object  of  its  in- 
dignation 1  How  many  be  there,  I  say,  whose  hatred  is 
turned  another  way,  because  of  the  malignity  of  their 
minds  1 

They  hate  knowledge,  Deut.  vii.  10;  2  Chron.  xix.  2; 
Psalm,  xxxiv.  21  ;  Job,  xxi.  14  ;  Mai.  iii.  14  ;  Prov.  i.  22; 
viii.  12  ;  xxix,  10. 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  17 

They  hate  God. 

They  hate  the  righteous. 

They  hate  God's  ways. 

And  all  is,  because  the  grace  of  final  fear  is  not  the  root 
and  principle  from  whence  their  hatred  flows,  "  For  the 
fear  of  the  Lord  is  to  hate  evil  ;"  wherefore,  where  this 
grace  is  wanting  for  a  root  in  the  soul,  there  it  must  of 
necessity  swerve  in  the  letting  out  of  this  passion  ;  because 
the  soul,  where  grace  is  wanting,  is  not  at  liberty  to  act 
simply,  but  is  biassed  by  the  power  of  sin,  that,  while  grace 
is  absent,  is  present  in  the  soul. 

And  hence  it  is  that  this  passion  (which  when  acted  well 
is  a  virtue)  is  so  abused,  and  made  to  exercise  its  force 
against  that  for  which  God  never  ordained  it,  nor  gave  it 
licence  to  act. 

3.  Another  passion  of  the  soul  is  joy ;  and  when  the  soul 
rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  "  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth"  (1 
Cor.  xiii.  6),  this  joy  is  a  very  strong  passion,  and  will  carry 
a  man  through  a  world  of  difficulties  ;  it  is  a  passion  that 
beareth  up,  that  supporteth  and  strengtheneth  a  man,  let 
the  o})ject  of  his  joy  be  what  it  will.  It  is  this  that  maketh 
the  soul  fat  in  goodness,  if  it  have  its  object  accordingly  ; 
and  that  which  makes  the  soul  bold  in  wickedness,  if  it 
indeed  doth  rejoice  in  iniquity. 

4.  Another  passion  of  the  soul  is  fear,  natural  fear  ;  for 
so  you  must  understand  me  of  all  the  passions  of  the  soul, 
as  they  are  considered  simply  and  in  their  own  nature. 
And  as  it  is  with  the  other  passions,  so  it  is  with  this  ;  it  is 
made  good  or  evil  in  its  acts  as  its  principle  and  objects 
are  ;  when  this  passion  of  the  soul  is  good,  then  it  springs 
from  a  sens?  of  the  greatness,  and  goodness,  and  majesty  of 
God  ;  also  God  himself  is  the  object  of  this  fear — Matt,  x. 
28  ;  Luke  xii,  5,  "  I  will  forewarn  you,"  says  Christ, 
"  whom  ye  shall  fear.  Fear  him  that  can  destroy  both  body 
and  soul  in  hell  ;  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him,"  But  in 
all  men  this  passion  is  not  regulated  and  governed  by  these 
principles  and  objects,  but  is  abused  and  turned,  through 
the  policy  of  Satan,  quite  into  another  channel.     It  is 


18  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

(Num.  xiv.  9  ;  2  Kings,  xvii.  7,  38)  made  to  fear  men,  to 
fear  idols,  to  fear  devils  and  Avitches,  yea,  it  is  made  to  fear 
all  tlie  foolish,  ridiculous,  and  apish  fables  that  every  old 
woman  or  atheistical  fortune-teller  has  tlie  face  to  drop  be- 
fore the  soul.     But  godly  fear  is  another  passion  of  the  soul. 

5.  Another  passion  of  the  soul  is  grief,  and  it,  as  those 
aforenamed,  acteth  even  according  as  it  is  governed.  When 
holiness  is  lovely  and  beautiful  to  the  soul,  and  when  the 
name  of  Christ  is  more  precious  than  life,  then  will  the  soul 
sit  down  and  be  afflicted,  because  men  keep  not  God's  law. 
"  I  beheld  the  transgressors,  and  was  grieved  ;  because  they 
kept  not  thy  word,"  Psalm  cxix.  158.  So  Christ,  he  looked 
round  about  with  anger,  "  being  grieved  for  the  hardness  of 
their  hearts,"  Mark,  iii.  5.  But  it  is  rarely  seen  that  this 
passion  of  the  soul  is  thus  exercised.  Almost  everybody 
has  other  things  for  the  spending  of  the  heat  of  this  passion 
upon.  Men  are  grieved  that  they  thrive  no  more  in  the 
world  ;  grieved  that  they  have  no  more^ carnal,  sensual,  and 
worldly  honour  ;  grieved  that  they  are  suffered  no  more  to 
range  in  the  lusts  and  vanities  of  this  life  ;  but  all  this  is 
because  the  soul  is  unacquainted  with  God,  sees  no  beauty 
in  holiness,  but  is  sensual,  and  wrapped  up  in  clouds  and 
thick  darkness. 

6.  And  lastly,  There  is  anger,  which  is  another  passion 
of  the  soul  ;  and  that,  as  the  rest,  is  extended  by  the  soul, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  principle  by  which  it  is 
acted,  and  from  whence  it  flows.  And,  in  a  word,  to  speak 
nothing  of  the  fierceness  and  power  of  this  passion,  it  is 
then  cursed  when  it  breaketh  out  beyond  the  bounds  that 
God  hath  set  it,  the  which  to  be  sure  it  doth  when  it  shall 
by  its  fierceness  or  irregular  motion  run  the  soul  into  sin. 
"  Be  angry,  and  sin  not,"  (Ephes.  iv.  26,  27),  it  is  the  limi- 
tation wherewith  God  hath  bounded  this  passion  ;  and  what- 
ever is  more  than  this,  is  a  giving  place  to  the  devil. 

And  one  reason  among  others  why  the  Lord  doth  so 
strictly  set  this  bound,  and  these  limits  to  anger,  is,  for 
that  it  is  so  furious  a  passion,  and  for  that  it  will  so  quickly 
swell  up  the  soul  with  sin.  as  they  say  a  toad  swells  with 


UXSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  19 

its  poison.  Yea,  it  will  in  a  moment  so  transport  the  spirit 
of  a  man,  that  he  shall  quickly  forget  himself,  his  God,  his 
friend,  and  all  good  rule.  But  my  business  is  not  now  to 
make  a  comment  upon  the  passions  of  the  soul,  only  to 
shew  you  that  there  are  such,  and  also  which  they  are. 

And  now  from  this  description  of  the  soul,  what  follows 
but  to  put  you  in  mind  what  a  noble,  powerful,  lively,  sen- 
sible thing  the  soul  is  that  by  the  text  is  supposed  may  be 
lost,  through  the  heedlessness,  or  carelessness,  or  slavish 
fear  of  him  whose  soul  it  is  ;  and  also  to  stir  you  up  to 
that  care  of,  and  labour  after,  the  salvation  of  your  soul,  as 
becomes  the  weight  of  the  matter.  If  the  soul  were  a  tri- 
vial thing,  or  if  a  man,  though  he  lost  it,  might  yet  him- 
self be  happy,  it  were  another  matter  ;  but  the  loss  of  the 
soul  is  no  small  loss,  nor  can  that  man  that  has  lost  his 
soul,  had  he  all  the  world,  yea,  the  whole  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, in  his  own  power,  be  but  in  a  most  fearful  and  miser- 
able condition.     But  of  these  things  more  in  their  place. 

II.  Having  thus  given  you  a  description  of  the  soul,  what 
it  is,  I  shall,  in  the  next  place,  shew  you  the  greatness  of  it. 
And  the  first  thing  that  I  shall  take  occasion  to  make  this 
manifest  by  will  be  by  shewing  you  the  disproportion  that 
is  betwixt  that  and  the  hody  ;  and  I  shall  do  it  in  these  fol- 
lowing particulars — 

1.  The  body  is  called  the  house  of  the  soul,  a  house  for 
the  soul  to  dwell  in.  Now  everybody  knows  that  the  house 
is  much  inferior  to  him  that  by  God's  ordinance  is  ap- 
pointed to  dwell  therein  ;  that  it  is  called  the  house  of  the 
soul,  you  find  in  Paul  to  the  Corinthians :  "  For  we  know," 
saith  he,  ''  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dis- 
solved, we  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not  made  with 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens,"  2  Cor.  v.  1.  We  have,  then, 
a  house  for  our  soul  in  this  Avorld,  and  this  house  is  the 
body,  for  the  apostle  can  mean  nothing  else  ;  therefore  he 
calls  it  an  earthly  house.  If  our  earthly  house — our  house. 
But  who  doth  he  personate  if  he  says,  This  is  a  house  for 
the  soul  ?  for  the  body  is  part  of  him  that  says,  our  house. 

In  this  manner  of  language  he  personates  his  soul  with 


20  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

the  souls  of  the  rest  that  are  saved ;  and  thus  to  do  is  com- 
mon Avith  the  apostles,  as  will  be  easily  discerned  by  them 
that  give  attendance  to  reading.  Our  earthly  houses ;  or, 
as  Job  saith,  "  houses  of  clay,"  for  our  bodies  are  bodies  of 
clay  :  "  Your  remembrances  are  like  unto  ashes,  your  bodies 
are  bodies  of  clay,"  Job,  iv.  19  ;  xiii.  12.  Indeed,  he  after 
maketh  mention  of  a  house  in  heaven,  but  that  is  not  it 
about  which  he  now  speaks  ;  now  he  speaks  of  this  earthly 
house  which  we  have  (we,  our  souls)  to  dwell  in,  while  on 
this  side  glory,  where  the  other  house  stands  as  ready  pre- 
pared for  us  when  Ave  shall  flit  from  this  to  that,  or  in  case 
this  should  sooner  or  later  be  dissolved.  But  that  is  the 
first ;  the  body  is  compared  to  the  house,  but  the  soul  to 
him  that  inhabiteth  the  house  ;  therefore,  as  the  man  is 
more  noble  than  the  house  he  dwells  in,  so  is  the  soul  more 
noble  than  the  body.  And  A^et,  alas  !  Avith  grief  be  it 
spoken,  hoAV  common  is  it  for  men  to  spend  all  their  care, 
all  their  time,  all  their  strength,  all  their,  Avit  and  parts  for 
the  body,  and  its  honour  and  preferment,  even  as  if  the  soul 
were  some  poor,  pitiful,  sorry,  inconsiderable,  and  under- 
thing,  not  Avorth  the  thinking  of,  or  not  Avorth  the  caring 
for.     But, 

2,  The  body  is  called  the  clothing,  and  the  soul  that 
which  is  clothed  thereAvith.  Noav  everybody  knoAvs  that 
the  body  is  more  than  raiment,  CA^en  carnal  sense  Avill  teach 
us  this.  But  read  that  pregnant  place  :  "  for  Ave  that  are 
in  this  tabernacle  do  groan,  being  burdened  (tliat  is,  Avith 
mortal  flesh),  not  for  that  Ave  Avould  be  unclothed,  but 
clothed  upon,  that  mortality  might  be  SAvalloAved  up  of 
life."  Thus  the  greatness  of  the  soul  appears  in  the  j^re- 
ference  that  it  hath  to  the  body — the  body  is  its  raiment. 
We  see  that,  above  all  creatures,  man,  because  he  is  the 
most  noble  among  all  visible  ones,  has  for  the  adorning  of 
his  body  that  more  abundant  comeliness.  It  is  the  body 
of  man,  not  of  beast,  that  is  clothed  Avith  the  richest  orna- 
ments. But  noAv  Avhat  a  thing  is  the  soul,  that  the  body 
itself  must  be  its  clothing  !  No  suit  of  apparel  is  by  God 
thought  good  enough  for  the  soul  but  that  which  is  made 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  21 

by  God  himself,  and  that  is  that  curious  thing  the  body. 
But  oh  !  how  little  is  this  considered — namely  the  great- 
ness of  the  soul.  It  is  the  body,  the  clothes,  the  suit  of 
apparel,  that  our  foolish  fancies  are  taken  with,  not  at  all 
considering  the  richness  and  excellency  of  that  great  and 
more  noble  part,  the  soul,  for  which  the  body  is  made  a 
mantle  to  wrap  it  up  in,  a  garment  to  clothe  it  withal.  If 
a  man  gets  a  rent  in  his  clothes,  it  is  little  in  comparison 
of  a  rent  in  his  flesh  ;  yea,  he  comforts  himself  when  he 
looks  on  that  rent,  saying.  Thanks  be  to  God,  it  is  not  a 
rent  in  my  flesh.  But  ah  !  on  the  contrary,  how  many  are 
there  in  the  world  that  are  more  troubled  for  that  they  have 
a  rent,  a  wound,  or  a  disease  in  the  body,  than  for  that 
they  have  souls  that  will  be  lost  and  cast  away.  A  little 
rent  in  the  body  dejecteth  and  casteth  such  down,  but  they 
_^are  not  at  all  concerned,  though  their  soul  is  now,  and  will 
yet  further  be,  torn  in  pieces.  "  Now  therefore  consider 
this,  ye  that  forget  God,  lest  he  tear  you  in  pieces,  and 
there  is  none  to  deliver,"  Psalm  1.  22.  But  this  is  the 
second  thing  whereby,  or  by  which,  the  greatness  of  the  soul 
appears — to  wit,  in  that  the  body,  that  excellent  piece  of 
God's  workmanship,  is  but  a  garment,  or  clothing,  for  the 
soul.     But, 

3.  The  body  is  called  a  vessel,  or  a  case,  for  the  soul  to 
be  put  and  kept  in.  "  That  every  one  of  you  should  know 
how  to  possess  his  vessel  in  sanctification  and  honour,"  1 
Thess.  iv.  4.  The  apostle  here  doth  exhort  the  people  to 
abstain  from  fornication,  wliich  in  another  place  he  saith, 
'*  is  a  sin  against  the  body."  And  here  again  he  saith, 
''  This  is  the  will  of  God,  your  sanctification,  that  you 
should  abstain  from  fornication,  that  the  body  be  not  de- 
filed, that  every  one  of  you  should  know  how  to  possess  his 
vessel  in  sanctification  and  honour."  His  vessel,  his  earthen 
vessel,  as  he  calls  it  in  another  place — "  For  we  have  this 
treasure  in  earthen  vessels."  Thus,  then,  the  body  is  called 
a  vessel  ;  yea,  every  man's  body  is  his  vessel.  But  what 
has  God  prepared  this  vessel  for,  and  what  has  he  put  into 
it  ?    Why,  many  things   this  body  is  to  be  a  vessel  for, 


22  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

Lut  at  present  God  has  put  into  it  that  curious  thing, 
the  soul.  Cabinets,  that  are  very  rich  and  costly  things  of 
themselves,  are  not  made  nor  designed  to  he  vessels  to  be 
stuffed  or  filled  with  trumpery  and  things  of  no  value  ;  no, 
these  are  prepared  for  rings  and  jewels,  for  pearls,  for  rubies, 
and  things  that  are  choice.  And  if  so,  what  sliall  we  then 
think  of  the  soul  for  which  it  is  prepared,  and  that  of  God, 
the  most  rich  and  excellent  vessel  in  the  world  ?  Surely  it 
must  be  a  thing  of  worth,  yea,  of  more  worth  than  is  the 
whole  world  besides.  But,  alas  !  who  believes  this  talk  ? 
Do  not  even  the  most  of  men  so  set  their  minds  upon  and 
so  admire  the  glory  of  this  case  or  vessel,  that  they  forget 
once  with  seriousness  to  think,  and  therefore  must  of 
necessity  be  a  great  way  off,  of  those  suitable  esteems  that 
becomes  them  to  have  of  their  souls  1  But  oh,  since  this 
vessel,  this  cabinet,  this  body,  is  so  curiously  made,  and 
that  to  receive  and  contain,  what  thing  is  that  for  Avhich 
God  has  made  his  vessel,  and  what  is  that  soul  that  he 
hath  piit  into  it  ?  Wherefore  thus,  in  the  third  place,  is 
the  greatness  of  the  soul  made  manifest,  even  by  the  ex- 
cellency of  the  vessel,  the  body,  that  God  has  made  to  put 
it  in. 

4.  The  body  is  called  a  tabernacle  for  the  soul.  "  Know- 
ing shortly  I  must  put  off  this  my  tabernacle,  that  is,  my 
body,  by  death,"  2  Pet.  i.  14  ;  John,  xxi.  18, 19  ;  2  Cor.  v.  1. 
So  again,  "  For  we  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this 
tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,"  ^'c. 
In  both  these  places,  by  "  tabernacle"  can  be  meant  nothing 
hut  the  body  ;  wherefore  both  the  apostles  in  these  sentences 
do  personate  their  souls,  and  speak  as  if  the  eoul  was  the 
all  of  a  man  ;  yea,  they  plainly  tell  us  that  the  body  is  but 
the  house,  clothes,  vessel,  and  tabemacle  for  the  souls.  But 
Avhat  a  famous  thing  therefore  is  the  soul  ! 

The  tabemacle  of  old  was  a  place  erected  for  worship, 
but  the  worshi])pers  were  far  more  excellent  than  the  place ; 
so  our  body  is  a  tabemacle  for  the  soul  to  worship  God  in, 
but  must  needs  be  accounted  much  inferior  to  the  soul,  for- 
asmuch as  the  worshippers  are  always  of  more  honour  than 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEKEOF.  23 

the  place  they  worship  in  ;  as  he  that  dwelleth  in  the  ta- 
bernacle hath  more  honour  than  the  taheniacle  "  I  serve," 
says  Paul,  "  God  and  Christ  Jesus  with  my  spirit  (or  soul) 
in  the  Gospel"  (Rom.  i.  9),  but  not  with  his  spirit  out  of, 
but  in,  this  tabernacle.  The  tabernacle  had  insti-uments  of 
worship  for  the  worshippers  ;  so  has  the  body  for  the  soul, 
and  we  are  bid  to  "  yield  our  members  as  instruments  of 
righteousness  unto  God,"  Rom.  vi.  13.  The  hands,  feet, 
ears,  eyes,  and  tongue  (which  last  is  our  glory,  when  used 
right),  are  all  of  them  instruments  of  this  tabernacle,  and 
to  be  made  use  of  by  the  soul,  the  inhabiter  of  this  taber- 
nacle, for  the  soul's  performance  of  the  service  of  God. 

I  thus  discoui-se  to  shew  you  the  greatness  of  the  soul. 

And  in  mine  opinion  there  is  something,  if  not  very  much, 
in  what  I  say.  For  all  men  admire  the  body,  both  for  its 
manner  of  building  and  the  curious  way  of  its  being  com- 
pacted together.  Yea,  the  further  men,  wise  men,  do  pry 
into  the  wonderful  work  of  God  that  is  put  forth  in  framing 
the  body,  the  more  still  they  are  made  to  admire  ;  and  yet, 
as  I  said,  this  body  is  but  a  house,  a  mantle,  a  vessel,  a 
tabernacle  for  the  soul.  What,  then,  is  the  soul  itself? 
But  thus  much  for  the  first  particular. 

Secondly,  We  will  now  come  to  other  things  that  shew 
us  the  greatness  of  the  soul.     And, 

1,  It  is  called  God's  breath  of  life.  "  And  the  Lord  God 
formed  man,"  that  is,  the  body,  "  of  the  dust  of  the  ground, 
and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life,  and  he 
became  a  living  soul,"  Gen.  ii.  7.  Do  but  compare  these  two 
together,  the  body  and  the  soul ;  the  body  is  made  of  dust, 
the  soul  is  the  breath  of  God.  Now  if  God  hath  made  this 
body  so  famous,  as  indeed  he  has,  and  yet  it  is  made  but  of 
the  dust  of  the  ground,  and  we  all  do  know  what  inferioi* 
matter  that  is,  what  is  the  soul,  since  the  body  is  not  only 
its  house  and  garment,  but  since  itself  is  made  of  the  breath 
of  God  ]  But  further,  it  is  not  only  said  that  the  soul  is  of 
the  breath  of  the  Lord,  but  that  the  Lord  breathed  into  him 
the  breath  of  life — to  wit,  a  living  spirit,  for  so  the  next 
words  infer — "  And  man   became  a  living  souL"     Man, 


24  THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

that  is,  the  more  excellent  part  of  him,  which  for  that  it  is 
principal  it  is  called  man,  that  bearing  the  denomination  of 
the  whole  ;  or  man,  the  spirit  and  natural  power,  by  which, 
as  a  reasonable  creature,  the  whole  of  him  is  acted,  '%ecame 
a  living  soul."  But  I  stand  not  here  upon  definition,  but 
upon  demonstration.  The  body,  that  noble  part  of  man, 
had  its  original  from  the  dust ;  for  so  says  the  word,  "  Dust 
thou  art  (as  to  thy  body),  and  to  dust  shalt  thou  return," 
Gen.  iii.  19.  But  as  to  thy  more  noble  part,  thou  art  from 
the  breath  of  God,  God  putting  forth  in  that  a  mighty 
work  of  creating  power,  "  and  man  was  made  a  living  soul," 
1  Cor.  XV.  45.  Mark  my  reason.  There  is  as  great  a  dis- 
parity betwixt  the  body  and  the  soul  as  is  between  the  dust 
of  the  ground,  and  that  here  called  the  breath  of  life  of  the 
Lord.  And  note  fui-ther,  that  as  the  dust  of  the  ground  did 
not  lose,  but  gained  glory  by  being  formed  into  the  body 
of  a  man,  so  this  breath  of  the  Lord  lost  nothing  neither  by 
being  made  a  living  soul.  0  man  !  dost, thou  know  what 
thou  art  ? 

2.  As  the  soul  is  said  to  be  of  the  breath  of  God,  so  it  is 
said  to  be  made  after  God's  own  image,  even  after  the  simi- 
litude of  God.  "  And  God  said.  Let  us  make  man  in  our 
image,  after  our  likeness.  So  God  created  man  in  his  own 
image,  in  the  image  of  God  created  he  him,"  Gen.  i.  26,  27. 
Mark,  in  his  o^^^l  image — in  the  image  of  God  created  he 
him  ;  or,  as  James  hath  it,  "  It  is  made  after  the  similitude 
of  God"  (James,  iii.  9),  like  him,  having  in  it  that  which 
beareth  semblance  with  him.  I  do  not  read  of  anything 
in  heaven,  or  earth,  or  under  the  earth,  that  is  said  to  be 
made  after  this  manner,  or  that  is  at  all  so  termed,  save 
only  the  Son  of  God  himself.  The  angels  are  noble  crea- 
tures, and  for  present  employ  are  made  a  little  higlier  than 
man  himself;  but  that  any  of  them  are  said  to  be  made 
"  after  God's  own  image"  (Heb.  ii.),  after  his  own  image, 
oven  after  the  similitude  of  God,  that  I  find  not.  This 
character  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  Scrijitures  of  ti-uth,  giveth 
only  of  man — of  the  soul  of  man  ;  for  it  must  not  be 
thought  that  the  body  is  here  intended,  in  whole  or  in  part. 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  TnEREOP.  25 

For  thoiigli  it  be  said  that  "  Clirist  was  made  after  the 
similitude  of  sinful  flesh"  (Phil,  ii.),  yet  it  is  not  said  that 
sinful  flesh  is  made  after  the  similitude  of  God.  But  I  will 
not  dispute  ;  I  only  bring  these  things  to  shew  how  great 
a  thin^-,  how  noble  a  thing,  the  soul  is,  in  that  at  its  crea- 
tion, God  thought  it  worthy  to  be  made,  not  like  the  earth, 
or  the  heavens^  or  the  angels,  cherubims,  seraphim  s,  or  arch- 
angels, but  like  himself,  his  own  self,  saying,  "  Let  us  make 
man  in  our  own  likeness.  So  he  made  man  in  his  own 
image."  This,  I  say,  is  a  character  above  all  angels  ;  for, 
as  the  apostle  said,  "  To  which  of  the  angels  said  he  at  any 
time,  Thou  art  my  son  '?"  So,  of  which  of  them  hath  he  at 
any  time  said.  This  is,  or  shall  be,  made  in  or  after  mine 
image,  mine  own  image  ?  0  what  a  thing  is  the  soul  of 
man,  that,  above  all  the  creatures  in  heaven  or  earth,  being 
made  in  the  image  and  similitude  of  God  ! 

3.  Another  thing  by  which  the  greatness  of  the  soul  is 
made  manifest  is  tliis — it  is  that  (and  that  only,  and  to  say 
this  is  more  than  to  say,  it  is  that  above  all  his  creatures) 
that  the  great  God  desires  communion  with.  "  He  hath  set 
apart  him  that  is  godly  for  himself,"-^that  is,  for  com- 
munion with  his  soul ;  therefore  the  spouse  saith  concern- 
ing him,  "  His  desire  is  towards  me"  (Cant.  vii.  10)  ;  and 
therefore  he  saith  again,  "  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk 
in  them,"  2  Cor.  vi.  16.  To  "  dwell  in,"  and  "  walk  with," 
are  terms  that  intimate  communion  and  fellowship  ;  as 
John  saith,  "  Our  fellowship,  truly  our  fellowship  is  with 
the  Father,  and  with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ"  (1  John,  i. 
1,  2)  ;  that  is,  our  soul-fellowship  ;  for  it  must  not  be 
understood  of  the  body,  though  I  believe  that  the  body  is 
much  influenced  when  the  soul  has  communion  with  God  ; 
but  it  is  the  soul,  and  that  only,  that  at  present  is  capable 
of  having  and  mainta  ining  of  this  blessed  communion.  But, 
I  say,  what  a  thing  is  this  that  God,  the  great  God,  should 
choose  to  have  fellowship  and  communion  with  the  soul 
above  all !  We  read  indeed  of  the  greatness  of  the  angels, 
and  how  near  also  they  are  unto  God  ;  but  yet  there  are 
not  such  terms  that  bespeak  such  familiar  acts  between 


26         THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

God  and  angels  as  to  demonstrate  that  they  have  such  com- 
munion with  God  as  the  souls  of  his  people  may  have. 
Where  has  he  called  them  his  love,  his  dove,  his  fair  one  ? 
and  where,  when  he  speaketh  of  them,  doth  he  express  a 
communion  that  they  have  with  him  by  the  similitude  of 
conjugal  love  ?  I  speak  of  what  is  revealed  ;  the  secret 
things  belong  to  the  Lord  our  God.  Kow,  by  all  this  is 
manifest  the  greatness  of  the  soul.  Men  of  greatness  and 
honour,  if  they  have  respect  to  their  own  glory,  will  not 
choose  for  their  familiars  the  base  and  rascally  crew  of  this 
world,  but  will  single  out  for  their  fellows,  fellowship,  and 
communion,  those  that  are  most  like  themselves.  True, 
the  king  has  not  an  equal,  yet  he  is  for  being  familiar  only 
with  the  nobles  of  the  land  ;  so  God,  with  him  none  can 
compare  ;  yet  since  the  soul  is  by  him  singled  out  for  his 
walking  mate  and  companion,  it  is  a  sign  it  is  the  highest 
born,  and  that  upon  which  the  blessed  Majesty  looks,  as 
upon  that  which  is  most  meet  to  be  singled  out  for  com- 
munion with  himself. 

Should  we  see  a  man  familiar  with  the  king,  we  would, 
even  of  ourselves,  conclude  he  is  one  of  the  nobles  of  the 
land  ;  but  this  is  not  the  lot  of  every  soul  (some  have  fel- 
lowship with  devils,  yet  not  because  they  have  a  more  base 
original  than  those  that  lie  in  God's  Idosoui,  but  they, 
through  sin,  are  degenerate,  and  have  chosen  to  be  great 
with  his  enemy)  ;  but  all  these  things  shew  the  greatness 
of  the  soul. 

4.  The  souls  of  men  are  such  as  God  counts  worthy  to 
be  the  vessels  to  hold  his  grace — the  graces  of  the  Spirit  in. 
The  graces  of  the  Spirit — what  like  them,  or  where  here 
are  they  to  be  found,  save  in  the  souls  of  men  only  ?  "  Of 
his  fulness  have  all  we  received,  and  grace  for  grace,"  Psalm 
xlv,  13.  Received,  into  what  ?  into  the  hidden  parts,  as 
Davdd  calls  it.  Hence  the  king's  daughter  is  said  to  be 
"  all  glorious  within,"  because  adorned  and  beautified 
with  the  graces  of  the  Spirit.  For  that  which  David  calls 
the  hidden  part,  is  the  inmost  part  of  the  soul ;  and  it 
is  therefore  called  the  hidden  part,  because  the  soul  is 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  27 

invisible,  nor  can  any  one  living  infallibly  know  what  is  in 
the  soul  but  God  himself.  But  I  say,  the  soul  is  the  vessel 
into  which  this  golden  oil  is  poured,  and  that  which  holds, 
and  is  accounted  woi-thy  to  exercise  and  improve  the  same. 
Therefore  the  soul  is  it  which  is  said  to  love  God — "  Saw 
ye  him  whom  my  soul  loveth  ?"  (Cant.  iii.  1-4  ;  Isa.  xxvi, 
9)  ;  and  therefore  the  soul  is  that  which  exerciseth  the 
spirit  of  pi-ayer — "  with  my  soul  have  I  desired  thee  in  the 
night,  and  with  my  spirit  within  me  will  I  seek  thee 
early."  With  the  soul  also  men  are  said  to  believe,  and 
into  the  soul  God  is  said  to  put  his  fear.  This  is  the  vessel 
into  which  the  wise  virgins  got  oil,  and  out  qf  which  their 
lamps  were  supplied  by  the  same.  But  what  a  thing,  what 
a  great  thing  therefore  is  the  soul,  that  that,  above  all  things 
that  God  hath  created,  should  be  the  chosen  vessel  to  put 
his  grace  in !  The  body  is  the  vessel  for  the  soul,  and  the 
soul  is  the  vessel  for  the  grace  of  God.     But, 

5.  The  greatness  of  the  soul  is  manifest  by  the  greatness 
of  the  price  that  Christ  paid  for  it  to  make  it  an  heir  of 
glory  ;  and  that  was  his  precious  blood ;  1  Cor.  vi.  20 ; 
1  Peter  i.  18,  19.  "We  do  use  to  esteem  of  things  according 
to  the  price  that  is  given  for  them,  especially  when  we  are 
convinced  that  the  purchase  has  not  been  made  by  the  esti- 
mation of  a  fool.  Now  the  soul  is  purchased  by  a  price 
that  the  Son,  the  wisdom  of  God,  thought  fit  to  pay  for  the 
redemption  thereof — what  a  thing  then  is  the  soul  ?  Judge 
of  the  soul  by  the  price  that  is  paid  for  it,  and  you  must 
needs  confess  (unless  you  count  the  blood  tliat  hath  bought 
it  an  unholy  thing)  that  it  cannot  but  be  of  great  worth  and 
value.  Suppose  a  prince,  or  some  great  man,  should  on  a 
sudden  descend  from  his  throne,  or  chair  of  state,  to  take  up, 
that  he  might  put  in  his  bosom,  something  that  he  had  espied 
lying  trampled  mider  the  feet  of  those  that  stand  by ;  Avould 
3'ou  think  that  he  would  do  this  for  an  old  horse-shoe,  or 
for  so  trivial  a  thing  as  a  pin  or  a  point  ]  Nay,  would  you 
not  even  of  yourselves  conclude  tliat  that  thing  for  which 
the  prince,  so  great  a  man,  should  make  such  a  stoop,  must 
needs  be  a  thing  of  very  great  worth  ?     Why,  this  is  the 


28  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

case  of  Christ  and  the  soul.  Christ  is  the  prince,  his  throne 
is  ill  heaven,  and  as  he  sat  there  he  espied  the  souls  of  sig- 
ners trampled  under  the  foot  of  the  law  and  death  for  sin. 
Now  what  doth  he,  but  comes  down  fi-om  his  throne,  stoops 
dovm.  to  the  earth,  and  there,  since  he  could  not  have  the 
trod  den-down  souls  without  price,  he  lays  down  his  life 
and  hlood  for  them,  1  Cor.  viii.  9.  But  would  he  have 
done  this  for  inconsiderable  things  ?  No,  nor  for  the  souls 
of  sinners  neither,  had  he  not  valued  them  higher  than  he 
valued  heaven  and  earth  besides.  This,  therefore,  is  another 
thing  by  which  the  greatness  of  the  soul  is  known. 

6.  The  soul  is  immortal  ;  it  will  have  a  sensible  being 
for  ever,  none  can  kill  the  soul,  Luke,  xii.  4 ;  Matt.  x.  28. 
If  all  the  angels  in  heaven,  and  all  the  men  on  earth,  should 
lay  all  their  strength  together,  they  cannot  kill  or  annihi- 
late one  soul.  No  ;  I  will  speak  without  fear,  if  it  may  be 
said,  God  cannot  do  what  he  will  not  do  ;  then  he  cannot 
annihilate  the  soul ;  but  notwithstanding  all  his  wrath,  and 
the  vengeance  that  he  will  inflict  on  sinful  souls,  they  yet 
shall  abide  with  sensible  beings,  yet  to  endure,  yet  to  bear 
punishment.  If  anything  could  kill  the  soul,  it  would  be 
death  ;  but  death  cannot  do  it,  neither  first  nor  second. 
The  first  cannot ;  for  when  Dives  (Luke,  xvi.  22,  23)  was 
slain  as  to  his  body  by  death,  his  soul  was  found  alive  in 
hell — "  He  lift  up  his  eyes  in  hell,  being  in  torment," 
Mark,  ix.  The  second  death  cannot  do  it,  because  it  is  said 
their  worm  never  dies,  but  is  always  torturing  them  with 
his  knawing.  But  that  could  not  be,  if  time,  or  lying  in 
hell-fire  for  ever,  could  annihilate  the  soul.  Now  this  also 
shews  the  greatness  of  the  soul,  that  it  is  that  which  has 
an  endless  life,  and  that  will  therefore  haA^e  a  being  end- 
lessly.    0  what  a  thing  is  the  soul  ! 

The  soul  then  is  immortal,  though  not  eternal.  That  is 
eternal  that  has  neither  beginning  nor  end,  and  therefore 
eternal  is  properly  applicable  to  none  but  God  ;  hence  he 
is  called  the  "  eternal  God,"  Deut.  xxxiii.  27.  Immortal 
IS  that  which,  though  it  hath  a  beginning,  yet  hath  no 
end  :  it  cannot  die,  nor  cease  to  be.     And  this  is  the  state 


UWSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  29 

of  the  soul.  It  cannot  cease  to  have  a  being  when  it  is 
once  created  ;  I  mean  a  living,  sensible  being.  For  I  mean 
by  living,  only  such  a  being  as  distinguishes  it  from  anni- 
hilation, or  incapableness  of  sense  and  feeling.  Hence,  as 
the  rich  man  is  after  death  said  to  "  lift  up  his  eyes  in  hell" 
(Luke,  xvi.  22,  23.),  so  the  beggar  is  said,  when  he  died,  "  to 
be  carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom."  And 
both  these  sayings  must  have  respect  to  the  souls  of  these 
men ;  for  as  for  their  bodies,  we  know  at  present  it  is  other- 
wise with  them.  The  grave  is  their  house,  and  so  must 
be  till  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  heavens  pass  away 
like  a  scroll. 

Now,  I  say,  the  immortality  of  the  soul  shews  the  great- 
ness of  it,  as  the  eternity  of  God  shews  the  greatness  of  God. 
It  cannot  be  said  of  any  angel  but  that  he  is  immortal,  and 
so  it  is  and  ought  to  be  said  of  the  soul.  This  therefore 
shews  the  greatness  of  the  soul,  in  that  it  is  as  to  abiding 
so  like  unto  him. 

7.  But  a  word  or  two  more,  and  so  to  conclude  this  head. 
The  soul ! — why,  it  is  the  soul  that  actuateth  the  body  in  all 
these  things  (good  or  bad)  that  seem  good  and  reasonable, 
or  amazingly  wicked.  True,  the  acts  and  motions  of  the 
soul  are  only  seen  and  heard  in  and  by  the  members  and 
motions  of  the  body,  but  the  body  is  but  a  poor  instru- 
ment, the  soul  is  the  great  agitator  and  actor.  "  The  body 
without  the  spirit  is  dead,"  James  il^  26.  All  those  famous 
arts,  and  works,  and  inventions  of  works,  that  are  done  by 
men  under  heaven,  they  are  all  the  inventions  of  the  soul ; 
and  the  body,  as  acting  and  labouring  therein,  doth  it  but  as 
a  tool  that  the  soul  maketh  use  of  to  bring  his  invention 
unto  maturity,  Eccles.  vii.  9.  How  many  things  have  men 
foimd  out  to  the  amazing  of  one  another,  to  the  Vv'onderment 
of  one  another,  to  the  begetting  of  endless  commendations 
of  one  another  in  the  world ;  while  in  the  meantime  the 
soul,  which  indeed  is  the  true  inventor  of  ail,  is  overlooked, 
not  regarded,  but  dragged  up  and  down  by  every  lust,  and 
prostrated  and  made  a  slave  to  every  silly  and  beastly  thing. 
0  the  amazing  darkness  that  hath  covered  the  face  of  the 


30  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

hearts  of  the  children  of  men,  that  they  cannot  deliver  their 
soul,  nor  say,  Is  there  not  a  lie  in  my  right  hand  1  though 
they  are  so  cunning  in  all  other  matters,  Isa.  xliv.  20. 
Take  man  in  matters  that  are  abroad,  and  far  from  home, 
and  he  is  the  mirror  of  all  the  world ;  hut  take  him  at 
home,  and  put  him  upon  things  that  are  near  him,  I  mean, 
that  have  respect  to  the  things  that  concern  his  soul,  and 
then  you  will  find  him  the  greatest  fool  that  ever  God 
made.  But  this  must  not  be  applied  to  the  soul  simply  as 
it  is  God's  creature,  but  to  the  soul  sinful,  as  it  has  wil- 
lingly apostatized  from  God,  and  so  suffered  itself  to  be  dar- 
kened, and  that  with  such  thick  and  stupifying  darkness, 
that  it  is  bound  up  and  cannot,  it  hath  a  napkin  of  sin 
bound  so  close  before  its  eyes,  that  it  is  not  able  of  itself 
to  look  to  and  after  those  things  which  should  be  its  chiefest 
concern,  and  without  which  it  will  be  most  miserable  for 
ever. 

8.  Further,  as  the  soul  is  thus  curious  about  arts  and 
sciences,  and  about  every  excellent  thing  of  this  life,  so  it 
is  capable  of  having  to  do  with  invisililes,  with  angels, 
good  or  bad,  yea,  with  the  highest  and  supreme  Being,  even 
with  the  holy  God  of  heaven.  I  told  you  before  that  God 
sought  the  soul  of  man  to  have  it  for  his  companion  ;  and 
now  I  tell  you  that  the  soul  is  capable  of  communion  with 
him,  when  the  darkness  that  sin  hath  spread  over  its  face 
is  removed.  The  soul  is  an  intelligent  power,  it  can  be 
made  to  know  and  understand  depths,  and  heights,  and 
lengths,  and  breadths,  in  those  high,  sublime,  and  spiritual 
mysteries  that  only  God  can  reveal  and  teach  ;  yea,  it  is 
capable  of  diving  unutterably  into  them.  And  herein  is 
God,  the  God  of  glory,  much  delighted  and  pleased — to  wit, 
that  he  hath  made  himself  a  creature  that  is  capable  of 
hearing,  of  knowing,  and  of  understanding  of  his  mind 
when  opened  and  revealed  to  it.  I  think  I  may  say,  with- 
out offence  to  God  or  man,  that  one  reason  why  God  made 
the  world  was,  that  he  might  manifest  himself,  not  only 
by,  but  to  the  works  which  he  made  ;  but  (I  speak  with 
reverence)  how  could  that  be,  if  he  did  not  also  make  some 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  31 

of  his  creatures  capable  of  apprehending  of  him  in  those 
most  high  mysteries  and  methods  in  which  he  purposed  to 
reveal  himself  ?  But  then,  what  are  those  creatures  which 
he  hath  made  (unto  whom  when  these  things  are  shewn) 
that  are  able  to  take  them  in  and  understand  them,  and  so 
to  improve  theyi  to  God's  glory,  as  he  hath  ordained  and 
purposed  they  should,  but  souls  1  for  none  else  in  the  visible 
world  are  capable  of  doing  this  but  they.  And  hence 
it  is  that  to  them,  and  them  only,  he  beginncth  to  reveal 
himself  in  this  world.  And  hence  it  is  that  they,  and  they 
,  only,  are  gathered  up  to  him  where  he  is  (for  they  are 
they  that  are  called  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect, 
Heb.  xii.  23)  ;  the  spirit  of  a  beast  goeth  do\^^lward  to  the 
earth,  it  is  the  spirit  of  a  man  that  goes  upwards  to  God 
that  gave  it  (Eccles.  iii.  21  ;  xii.  7)  ;  for  that,  and  that 
only,  is  capable  of  beholding  and  understanding  the  glori- 
ous visions  of  heaven  ;  as  Christ  said,  "  Father,  I  will  that 
tliose  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am, 
that  they  may  behold  my  glory  w^hich  thou  hast  given  me  ; 
for  thou  lovedst  me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world," 
John,  xvii.  24.  And  thus  the  greatness  of  the  soul  is 
manifest.  True,  the  body  is  also  gathered  up  into  glory,  but 
not  simply  for  its  own  sake,  or  because  that  is  capable  of 
itself  to  know  and  understand  the  glories  of  its  Maker  ;  but 
that  has  been  a  companion  with  the  soul  in  this  world,  has 
also  been  its  house,  its  mantle,  its  cabinet  and  tabernacle 
here  ;  it  has  also  been  it  by  which  the  soul  hath  acted,  in 
which  it  hath  wrought,  and  by  which  its  excellent  appear- 
ances have  been  manifested  ;  and  it  shall  also  there  be  its 
co-partner,  and  sharer  in  its  glory.  Wlierefore,  as  the  body 
here  did  partake  of  the  soul's  excellencies,  and  w^as  also  con- 
formed to  its  spiritual  and  regenerate  principles,  so  it  shall 
be  hereafter  a  partaker  of  that  glory  with  which  the  soul 
shall  be  filled,  and  also  be  made  suitable  by  that  glory  to 
become  a  partaker  and  co-partner  with  it  of  the  eternal  ex- 
cellences which  heaven  will  put  upon  it.  In  this  world  it 
is  a  gracious  soul  (I  speak  now  of  the  regenerate),  and  in 
that  world  it  shall   be  a  glorious  one  ;  in  this  world  the 


32  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

body  was  conformable  to  the  soul  as  it  was  gracious,  and 
in  that  world  it  shall  be  conformable  to  it  as  it  is  glorious  ; 
conformable,  I  say,  by  pai-taking  of  that  glory  that  then 
the  soul  shall  partake  of ;  yea,  it  shall  also  have  an  addi- 
tional glory  to  adorn,  and  make  it  yet  the  more  capable  of 
being  serviceable  to  it  and  with  it  in  its  great  acts  before 
God  in  eternal  glory. 

0  what  great  things  are  the  souls  of  the  sons  of 
men  ! 

9.  But  again,  as  the  soul  is  thus  capable  of  enjoying 
God  in  glory,  and  of  prying  into  these  mysteries  that  are 
in  him,  so  it  is  capable  with  great  profundity  to  dive  into 
the  mysterious  depths  of  hell.  Hell  is  a  place  and  state 
utterly  unkno\Mi  to  any  in  this  visible  world,  excepting 
the  souls  of  men  ;  nor  shall  any  for  ever  be  capable  of 
understanding  the  miseries  thereof,  save  souls  and  fallen 
angels.  Now  I  think,  as  the  joys  of  heaven  stand  not  only 
in  speculation,  or  in  beholding  of  glory,  but  in  a  sensible 
enjoyment  and  unspeakable  pleasure  which  these  glories 
will  yield  to  the  soul  (Psalm  xv.  11),  so  the  tonnents  of 
hell  will  not  stand  in  the  present  lashes  and  strokes  which 
by  the  flames  of  eternal  fire  God  will  scourge  the  ungodly 
with  ;  but  the  torments  of  hell  stand  much,  if  not  in  the 
greatest  part  of  them,  in  those  deep  thoughts  and  appre- 
hensions which  souls  in  the  next  world  will  have  of  the 
nature  and  occasions  of  sin,  of  God,  and  of  separation  from 
him  ;  of  the  eternity  of  those  miseries,  and  of  the  utter  im- 
possibility of  their  help,  ease,  or  deliverance  for  ever.  0, 
damned  souls  will  have  thoughts  that  will  clash  with  glory, 
clash  with  justice,  clash  with  law,  clash  with  itself,  clash 
with  hell,  and  with  the  everlastingness  of  misery  ;  but  the 
point,  the  edge,  and  the  poison  of  all  these  thoughts  will 
still  be  galling,  and  dropping,  and  spewing  out  their  stings 
into  the  sore,  grieved,  wounded,  and  fretted  place,  which  is 
the  conscience,  though  not  the  conscience  only  ;  for  I  may 
say  of  the  souls  in  hell,  that  they  all  over  are  but  one  v/ound, 
one  sore.  Miseries  as  well  as  mercies  sharpen  and  make 
quick  the  apprehensions  of  the  soul.     Behold  Spira  in  his 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  33 

book,  Cain  in  his  guilt,  and  Saul  with  the  witch  of  Endor, 
and  you  shall  see  men  ripened,  men  enlarged  and  greatened 
in  their  fancies,  imaginations,  and  apprehensions,  though 
not  about  God,  and  heaven,  and  glory,  yet  about  their  loss, 
their  misery,  and  their  woe,  and  their  hells,  Isa.  xxxiii. 
14  ;  Psalm  1.  3  ;  Rev.  xiv.  10  ;  Mark,  iii.  44,  46. 

10.  Nor  doth  their  ability  to  bear  (if  it  be  proper  to  say 
they  bear  those  dolours  which  there  for  ever  they  shall  en- 
dure), a  little  demonstrate  their  greatness.  Everlasting 
burning,  devouring  fire,  perpetual  pains,  gnawing  w^orms, 
utter  darkness,  and  the  ireful  words,  face,  and  strokes  of 
divine  and  infinite  justice  will  not,  cannot  make  this  soul 
extinct,  as  I  said  before.  I  think  it  is  not  so  proper  to  say 
the  soul  that  is  damned  for  sin  doth  bear  these  things,  as 
to  say  it  doth  ever  sink  under  them  ;  and  therefore  their 
place  of  torment  is  called  the  bottomless  pit,  because  they 
are  ever  sinking,  and  shall  never  come  there  where  they 
will  find  any  stay  Yet  they  live  under  wrath,  but  yet 
only  so  as  to  be  sensible  of  it,  as  to  smart  and  be  in  perpe- 
tual anguish  by  reason  of  the  intolerableness  of  their  bur- 
den. But  doth  not  their  thus  living,  abiding,  and  retain- 
ing a  being  (or  what  you  will  call  it),  demonstrate  the 
greatness  and  might  of  the  soul  1  Alas  !  heaven  and  earth 
are  short  of  this  greatness,  for  these,  though  under  less 
judgment  by  far,  do  fade  and  wax  old  like  a  moth-eaten 
garment,  and  in  their  time  will  vanish  away  to  nothing, 
Heb.  i. 

Also  we  see  how  quickly  the  body,  when  the  soul  is 
under  a  fear  of  the  rebukes  of  justice,  how  soon,  I  say,  it 
wastes,  moulders  away,  and  crumbleth  into  the  grave  ;  but 
the  soul  is  yet  strong,  and  abides  sensible  to  be  dealt  withal 
for  sin  by  everlasting  burnings. 

11.  The  soul  by  God's  ordinance  (Heb.  ix.  27),  while 
this  w^orld  lasts,  has  a  time  appointed  it  to  forsake  and 
leave  the  body  to  be  turned  again  to  the  dust  as  it  was,  and 
this  separation  is  made  by  death  ;  therefore  the  body  must 
cease  for  a  time  to  have  sense,  or  life,  or  motion  ;  and  a 
little  thing  brings  it  now  into  this  state ;  but  in  the  next 

VOL.  II.  C 


34  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

world  the  wicked  shall  partake  of  none  of  this  ;  for  the 
hody  and  the  soul  being  at  the  resurrection  rejoined,  this 
death  that  once  did  rend  them  asunder-  is  for  ever  over- 
come and  extinct ;  so  that  these  two  which  lived  in  sin 
must  for  ever  be  yoked  together  in  hell.  Now  there  the 
soul  being  joined  to  the  body,  and  death,  which  before  did 
separate  them,  being  utterly  taken  away,  the  soul  retains 
not  only  its  own  being,  but  also  continueth  the  body  to  be, 
and  to  suffer  sensibly  the  pains  of  hell  without  those  de- 
cays that  it  uses  to  sustain. 

And  the  reason  why  this  death  shall  then  be  taken  away 
is,  because  justice  in  its  bestowing  its  rewards  for  trans- 
gressions may  not  be  interrupted  (Matt.  x.  28),  but  that 
body  and  soul,  as  they  lived  and  acted  in  sin  together,  might 
be  destroyed  for  sin  in  hell  together  (Luke,  xii.  5)  ;  de- 
stroyed, I  say,  but  with  such  a  destruction  which,  though 
it  is  everlasting,  will  not  put  a  period  to  their  sensible  suf- 
fering the  vengeance  of  eternal  lire,  2  Thess,  i.  8,  9. 

This  death,  therefore,  though  that  also  be  the  wages  of 
sin,  would  now,  were  it  suffered  to  continue,  be  a  hindrance 
to  the  making  known  of  the  wrath  of  God,  and  also  of  the 
created  power  and  might  of  the  soul.  1.  It  would  hinder 
the  making  known  of  the  wrath  of  God,  for  it  would  take 
the  body  out  of  the  way,  and  make  it  incapable  of  sensible 
suffering  for  sin,  and  so  removing  one  of  the  objects  of  ven- 
geance, the  power  of  God's  wrath  would  be  so  far  undis- 
covered. 2.  It  would  also  hinder  the  manifestation  of  the 
power  and  might  of  the  soul,  which  are  discovered  much 
by  its  abiding  to  retain  its  own  being  while  the  wrath  of 
God  is  grappling  with  it,  and  more  by  its  continuing  to 
the  body  a  sensible  being  with  itself. 

Death,  therefore,  must  now  be  removed,  that  the  soul 
may  be  made  the  object  of  wrath  without  molestation  or 
interruption.  That  the  soul,  did  I  say  1  yea,  that  soul  and 
body  both  might  be  se.  Death  would  now  be  a  favour, 
though  once  the  fruit  of  sin,  and  also  the  wages  thereof, 
might  it  now  be  suffered  to  continue,  because  it  would  ease 
the  soul  of  some  of  its  bui-den  ;  for  a  tormented  body  can- 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF,  35 

not  but  he  a  biirden  to  a  spirit,  and  so  the  wise  man  insi- 
nuates Avhen  he  says,  "  The  spirit  of  a  man  will  sustain 
his  infirmity  ;"  that  is,  bear  up  under  it,  but  yet  so  as  that 
it  feels  it  a  burden.  We  see  that,  because  of  the  sympathy 
that  is  between  body  and  soul,  how  one  is  burdened  if  the 
other  be  grieved.  A  sick  body  is  a  burden  to  the  soul, 
and  a  wounded  spirit  is  a  burden  to  the  body  ;  "  a  wounded 
spirit  who  can  bear  1"  but  death  must  not  remove  this 
burden,  but  the  soul  must  have  the  body  for  a  burden,  and 
the  bod}^  must  have  the  soul  for  a  burden,  and  both  must 
have  the  wrath  of  God  for  a  burden.  Oh,  therefore,  here 
will  be  burden  upon  burden,  and  all  upon  the  soul,  for  the 
soul  will  be  the  chief  seat  of  this  burden.  But  thus  much 
to  shew  you  the  greatness  of  the  soul. 

III.  I  shall  now  come  to  the  third  thing  which  was  pro- 
pounded to  be  spoken  to,  and  that  is  to  shew  you  what  Ave 
are  to  understand  by  losing  of  the  soul,  or  what  the  loss  of 
the  soul  is — "  What  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
soul  ?" 

First,  The  loss  of  the  soul  is  a  loss,  in  the  nature  of  it, 
peculiar  to  itself.  There  is  no  such  loss  as  to  the  nature  of 
loss  as  is  the  loss  of  the  soul,  for  that  he  that  hath  lost 
his  soul  has  lost  himself.  In  all  other  losses  it  is  possible 
for  a  man  to  save  himself,  but  he  that  loseth  his  soul 
losetli  himself — "  For  what  is  a  man  advantaged,  if  he  gain 
the  whole  world,  and  lose  himself  V  Luke,  ix.  25.  Where- 
fore, the  loss  of  the  soul  is  a  loss  that  cannot  be  paralleled. 
He  that  loseth  himself  loseth  his  all,  his  lasting  all,  for 
himself  is  his  all,  his  all  in  the  most  comprehensive  sense. 
What  mattereth  it  what  a  man  gets,  if  by  the  getting 
thereof  he  loseth  himself  1  Suppose  a  man  goeth  to  the 
Indies  for  gold,  and  he  loadeth  his  ship  therewith,  but  at 
his  return,  that  sea  that  carried  him  thither  swallows  him 
iij) — now  what  has  he  got  ?  But  this  is  but  a  lean  simili- 
tude with  reference  to  the  matter  in  hand — to  wit,  to  set 
forth  the  loss  of  the  soul.  Suppose  a  man  that  has  been  at 
the  Indies  for  gold  should  at  his  return  himself  be  taken 
by  them  of  Algiers,  and  there  made  a  slave  of,  and  there 


36         THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

be  hunger-bit,  and  beaten  till  his  bones  are  broken,  what 
has  he  got  ?  what  is  he  advantaged  bj  his  rich  adventure  ? 
Perhaps  you  will  say,  he  has  got  gold  enough  to  obtain  his 
ransom.  Indeed  this  may  be,  and  therefore  no  similitude 
can  be  found  that  can  fully  exemplify  the  matter,  "'  for  what 
shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?"  It  is  a  loss 
that  standeth  by  itself,  there  is  not  another  like  it,  or  unto 
which  it  may  be  compared  ;  it  is  only  like  itself,  it  is  sin- 
gular, it  is  the  chief  of  all  losses,  the  highest,  the  greatest 
loss.  "  For  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
soul  ]"  A  man  may  lose  his  wife,  his  children,  his  estate, 
his  liberty,  and  his  life,  and  have  all  made  up  again,  and 
have  all  restored  mth  advantage,  and  may  therefore,  not- 
withstanding all  these  losses,  be  far  enough  off  from  losing 
of  himself  (Luke,  xiv,  25  ;  Mark,  viii.  35),  for  he  may  lose 
his  life,  and  save  it ;  yea,  sometimes  the  only  way  to  save 
that  is  to  lose  it ;  but  when  a  man  has  lost  himself,  his 
soul,  then  all  is  gone  to  all  intents  and  purposes.  There  is 
no  word  says,  he  that  loses  his  soul  shall  save  it  ;  but,  con- 
trarywise,the  text  supposeth  that  a  man  lias  lost  his  soul, 
and  then  demands  if  any  can  answer  it — "  What  shall  a 
man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  1"  All,  then,  that  he 
gains  that  loseth  his  soul  is  only  this,  he  has  gained  a  loss, 
he  has  purchased  the  loss  of  losses,  he  has  nothing  left  him 
now  but  his  loss,  but  the  loss  of  himself,  of  his  whole  self. 
He  that  loseth  his  life  for  Christ  shall  save  it,  but  he  that 
loseth  himself  for  sin,  and  for  the  world,  shall  lose  himself 
to  perfection  of  loss  ;  he  has  lost  himself,  and  there  is  the 
full  point. 

There  are  several  things  fall  under  this  first  head,  upon 
which  I  would  touch  a  little. 

1.  He  that  has  lost  his  soul  has  lost  himself.  Now  he 
that  has  lost  himself  is  no  more  at  his  own  disposal.  While 
a  man  enjoys  himself,  he  is  at  his  own.  disposal.  A  single 
man,  a  free  man,  a  rich  man,  a  poor  man,  any  man  that 
enjoys  himself,  is  at  his  own  disposal.  I  speak  after  the 
manner  of  men.  But  he  that  has  lost  himself  is  not  at  his 
own  disposal.  He  is,  as  I  may  say,  now  out  of  his  own 


UA'SPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  37 

hands  ;  he  has  lost  himself,  his  soul-self,  his  owniself,  his 
whole  self  hy  sin,  and  wrath  and  hell  have  found  him  ;  he 
is  therefore  now  no  more  at  his  own  disposal,hut  at  the  dis- 
posal of  justice,  of  wrath,  and  hell ;  he  is  committed  to  pri- 
son, to  hell-prison,  there  to  ahide,  not  at  pleasure,  not  as 
long  and  as  little  time  as  he  will,  hut  the  term  appointed 
hy  his  judge  ;  nor  may  he  there  choose  his  own  affliction, 
neither  for  manner,  measure,  nor  continuance.  It  is  God 
that  will  spread  the  fire  and  brimstone  under  him,  it  is  God 
that  will  pile  up  Avrath  upon  him,  and  it  is  God  himself 
that  will  blow  the  fire.  "  And  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  like 
a  stream  of  brimstone,  doth  kindle  it,"  Isaiah,  xxx.  33. 
And  thus  it  is  manifest  that  he  that  has  lost  himself,  his 
soul  is  no  more  at  his  own  disposal,  but  at  the  disposal  of 
them  that  find  him. 

2.  Again,  as  he  that  has  lost  himself  is  not  at  his  own 
disposal,  so  neitlier  is  he  at  liberty  to  dispose  of  what  he  has ; 
for  the  man  that  has  lost  himself  has  something  yet  of  his 
own.  The  text  implies  that  his  soul  is  his  when  lost,  yea, 
when  that  and  his  all,  himself,  is  lost ;  but  as  he  cannot  dis- 
pose of  himself,  so  he  cannot  dispose  of  what  he  hath.  Let 
me  take  leave  to  make  out  my  meaning.  If  he  that  is  lost, 
that  has  lost  himself,  has  not,  notwithstanding,  something 
that  in  some  sense  may  be  called  his  own,  then  he  that  is 
lost  has  nothing.  The  man  that  is  in  hell  has  yet  the  powers, 
the  senses,  and  passions  of  his  soul  ;  for  not  he  nor  his  soul 
must  be  thought  to  be  stripped  of  these  ;  for  then  he  would 
be  lower  than  the  brute  ;  but  yet  all  these  since  he  is  there 
are  by  God  improved  against  himself;  or,  if  you  will,  the 
point  of  this  man's  sword  is  turned  against  his  o\vn  heart, 
and  made  to  pierce  his  own  liver. 

The  soul  by  being  in  hell  loseth  nothing  of  its  aptness  to 
think,  its  quickness  to  pierce,  to  pry,  and  to  understand  ; 
nay,  hell  has  ripened  it  in  all  these  things  ;  but,  I  say,  the 
soul  with  its  improvements  as  to  these,  or  anything  else,  is 
not  in  the  hand  of  him  that  hath  lost  himself  to  manage 
for  his  own  advantage,  but  in  the  hand,  and  in  the  power, 
and  to  be  disposed  as  is  thought  meet  by  him  into  whose 


38  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

revenging  hand  by  sin  he  has  delivered  himself — to  wit,  in 
the  hand  of  God.  So,  then,  God  now  has  the  victory,  and 
disposeth  of  all  the  powers,  senses,  and  passions  of  the  soul 
for  the  chastising  of  him  that  has  lost  himself.  Now  the 
understanding  is  only  employed  and  improved  in  and  about 
the  apprehending  of  such  things  as  will  be  like  daggers  at 
the  heart — to  Avit,  about  justice,  sin,  hell,  and  eternity,  to 
grieve  and  break  the  spirit  of  the  damned  ;  yea,  to  break, 
to  wound,  and  to  tear  the  soul  in  pieces.  The  depths  of 
sin  which  the  man  has  loved,  the  good  nature  of  God  whom 
the  man  has  hated,  the  blessings  of  eternity  which  the  soul 
has  despised,  shall  now  be  understood  by  him  more  than 
ever,  but  yet  so  only  as  to  increase  grief  and  sorrow,  by 
improving  of  the  good  and  of  the  evil  of  the  things  under- 
stood, to  the  greater  wounding  of  the  spirit  ;  wherefore 
now,  every  touch  that  the  understanding  shall  give  to  the 
memory  will  be  as  a  touch  of  a  red-hot  iron,  or  like  a 
di'aught  of  scalding  lead  poured  down  the  throat.  The 
memory  also  letteth  these  things  do^x^l  upon  the  conscience 
with  no  less  terror  and  perplexity.  And  now  the  fancy 
or  imagination  doth  start  and  stare  like  a  man  by  fears  be- 
reft of  wits,  and  doth  exercise  itself,  or  rather  is  exercised 
by  the  hand  of  revenging  justice,  so  about  the  breadth  and 
d-epth  of  present  and  future  punishments,  as  to  lay  the  soul 
as  on  a  burning  rack.  Now  also  the  judgment,  as  with  a 
mighty  maul,  driveth  down  the  soul  in  the  sense  and  pangs 
of  everlasting  misery  into  that  pit  that  has  no  bottom  ;  yea, 
it  turneth  again,  and,  as  with  a  hammer,  it  rivetteth  every 
fearful  thought  and  apprehension  of  the  soul  so  fast  that  it 
can  never  be  loosed  again  for  ever  and  ever.  Alas  !  now 
the  conscience  can  sleep,  be  dull,  be  misled,  or  flatter  no 
longer  :  no,  it  must  now  cry  out ;  understanding  will  make 
it,  memory  will  make  it,  fancy  or  imagination  will  make 
it.  Now,  I  say,  it  will  cry  out  of  sin,  of  justice,  and  of  the 
terribleness  of  the  punisliment  that  hath  swallowed  him  up 
that  has  lost  himself.  Here  will  be  no  forgetfulness  ;  yet 
nothing  shall  be  thought  on  but  that  which  will  wound 
and  kill ;  here  v.ill  be  no  time,  cause,  or  means  for  diver- 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  39 

» 

sion  ;  all  will  stick  and  gnaw  like  a  viper.  Now  the  me- 
mory will  go  out  to  where  sin  was  heretofore  committed, 
it  will  also  go  out  to  the  word  that  did  forhid  it.  The  un- 
derstanding also,  and  the  judgment  too,  will  now  consider 
of  the  pretended  necessity  that  the  man  had  to  break  the 
commandments  of  God,  and  of  the  seasonableness  of  the 
cautions  and  of  the  convictions  which  were  given  him  to 
forbear,  by  all  which  more  load  will  be  laid  upon  him  that 
has  lost  himself ;  for  here  all  the  powers,  senses,  and  pas- 
sions of  the  soul  must  be  made  self-burners,  self-tormenters, 
self-executioners  by  the  just  judgment  of  God  ;  also  all 
that  the  will  shall  do  in  this  place  shall  be  but  to  wish 
for  ease,  but  the  wish  shall  only  be  such  as  shall  only 
seem  to  lift  up,  for  the  cable-rope  of  despair  shall  with 
violence  pull  him  down  again.  The  will  indeed  will 
wish  for  ease,  and  so  will  the  mind,  &c.,  but  all  these 
wishers  will  by  wishing  arrive  to  no  more  advantage  but 
to  make  despair,  which  is  the  most  twinging  stripe  of  hell, 
to  cut  yet  deeper  into  the  whole  soul  of  him  that  has  lost 
himself ;  wherefore,  after  all  that  can  be  wished  for,  they 
return  again  to  their  burning  chair,  where  they  sit  and  be- 
wail their  misery.  Thus  will  all  the  powers,  senses,  and 
passions  of  the  soul  of  him  that  has  lost  himself  be  out  of 
his  own  power  to  dispose  of  for  his  advantage,  and  will  be 
only  in  the  hand  and  under  the  management  of  the  reveng- 
ing justice  of  God.  And  herein  will  that  state  of  the 
damned  be  worse  than  it  is  now  with  the  fallen  angels  ;  for 
though  the  fallen  angels  are  now  cast  down  to  hell,  in 
chains,  and  sure  in  themselves  at  last  to  partake  of  eternal 
judgment,  yet  at  present  (Job,  i.  7  ;  ii.  2)  they  are  not  so 
bound  up  as  the  damned  sinners  shall  be  ;  for  notwithstand- 
ing their  chains,  and  their  being  the  prisoners  of  the  horrible 
hells,  yet  they  have  a  kind  of  liberty  granted  them,  and 
that  liberty  will  last  till  the  time  appointed,  to  tempt,  to 
plot,  to  contrive,  and  invent  their  mischiefs  against  the 
Son  of  God  and  his.  And  though  Satan  knows  that  this  at 
last  will  work  for  his  futuve^condemnation,  3'et  at  present 
he  iinds  it  some  diveraiDU  to  his  trembling  mind,  and  ob- 


40  THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

tains,  through  his  so  busily  employing  of  himself  against 
the  gospel  and  its  professors,  sometliing  to  sport  and  refresh 
himself  withal ;  yea,  and  doth  procure  to  himself  some 
small  crumbs  of  minutes  of  forgetfulness  of  his  own  present 
misery,  and  of  the  judgment  that  is  yet  to  pass  upon  him  ; 
but  this  privilege  will  then  be  denied  to  him  that  has  lost 
himself ;  there  will  be  no  cause  nor  matter  for  diversion  ; 
there  it  will,  as  in  the  old  world,  rain  day  and  night  fire 
and  brimstone  from  the  Lord  out  of  heaven  upon  them, 
(Rev.  xiv.  10,  11);  misery  is  fixed;  the  worm  will  be 
always  sucking  at,  and  gnawing  of,  their  soul ;  also,  as  I 
have  said  afore,  all  the  powers,  senses,  and  passions  of  the 
soul  will  throw  their  darts  inwards,  yea,  of  God  will  be 
made  to  do  it,  to  the  utter,  unspeakable,  and  endless  tor- 
ment of  him  that  has  lost  himself.     Again, 

3.  All  therefore  that  he  that  has  lost  himself  can  do  is, 
to  sit  down  by  the  loss.  Do  I  say,  he  can  do  this  1 — oh  ! 
if  that  could  be,  it  would  be  to  such  a  mercy  ;  I  must 
therefore  here  correct  myself, — that  he  cannot  do,  for  to  sit 
down  by  the  loss  implies  a  patient  enduring  ;  but  there 
will  be  no  such  grace  as  patience  in  hell  with  him  that  has 
lost  himself ;  here  will  also  want  a  bottom  for  patience — 
to  wit,  the  providence  of  God  ;  for  a  providence  of  God, 
though  never  so  dismal,  is  a  bottom  for  patience  to  the  af- 
flicted ;  but  men  go  not  to  hell  by  providence,  but  by  sin. 
Now  sin  being  the  cause,  other  effects  are  ^^T0ught  ;  for 
they  that  go  to  hell,  and  that  there  miserably  perish,  shall 
never  say  it  was  God  by  his  providence  that  brought  them 
thither,  and  so  shall  not  have  that  on  which  to  lean  and 
stay  themselves. 

They  shall  justify  God,  and  lay  the  fault  upon  them- 
selves, concluding  that  it  was  sin  with  which  their  souls 
did  voluntarily  work  ;  yea,  which  their  souls  did  suck  in 
as  sweet  milk,  that  is  the  cause  of  this  their  torment.  Now 
this  will  work  after  another  manner,  and  will  produce  quite 
another  thing  than  patience,  or  a  patient  enduring  of  their 
torment ;  for  their  seeing  that  they  are  not  only  lost,  but 
have  lost  themselves,  and  that  against  the  ordinary  means 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  41 

that  of  God  was  provided  to  prevent  that  loss  ;  yea,  when 
they  shall  see  what  a  hase  thing  sin  is,  how  that  it  is  the 
very  worst  of  things,  and  that  which  also  makes  all  things 
bad,  and  that  for  the  sake  of  that  they  have  lost  themselves, 
this  will  make  them  fi-et,  and  gnash,  and  gnaw  with  anger 
themselves  ;  this  will  set  all  the  passions  of  the  soul,  save 
love  (for  that  I  think  will  he  stark  dead),  all  in  a  rage,  all 
in  a  self-tormenting  lire.  You  know  there  is  nothing  that 
will  sooner  put  a  man  into,  and  manage  his  rage  against 
himself  than  will  a  full  conviction  in  his  conscience  that 
by  his  own  only  folly,  and  that  against  caution,  and  counsel, 
and  reason  to  the  contrary,  he  hath  brought  himself  into 
extreme  distress  and  misery.  But  how  much  more  will  it 
make  this  fire  burn  when  he  shall  see  all  this  is  come  upon 
him  for  a  toy,  for  a  bauble,  for  a  thing  that  is  worse  than 
nothing. 

Why,  this  is  the  case  with  him  that  has  lost  himself ; 
and  therefore  he  cannot  sit  down  by  the  loss,  cannot  be  at 
quiet  under  the  sense  of  his  loss.  For  sharply  and  wonder- 
ful piercingly,  considering  the  loss  of  himself,  and  the  cause 
thereof,  which  is  sin,  he  falls  to  a  tearing  of  himself  in 
pieces  with  thoughts  as  hot  as  the  coals  of  juniper,  and  to  a 
gnashing  upon  himself  for  this  ;  also  the  divine  w^isdom 
and  justice  of  God  helpeth  on  this  self-tormenter  in  his 
self-tormenting  work,  by  holding  the  justice  of  the  law 
against  which  he  has  offended,  and  the  unreasonableness  of 
such  offence,  continually  before  his  face.  For  if  to  an  en- 
lightened man  who  is  in  the  door  of  hope  the  sight  of  all 
past  evil  practices  will  work  in  him  vexation  of  spirit  to  see 
what  a  fool  he  was  (Eccl.  i.  14);  how  can  it  but  be  to  them 
that  go  to  hell  a  vexation  only  to  understand  the  report,  the 
report  that  God  did  give  them  of  sin,  of  his  grace,  of  hell, 
and  of  everlasting  damnation  (Isa.  xxviii.  19),  and  yet  that 
they  should  he  snch  fools  to  go  thither.  But  to  pursue  this 
head  no  fiu-thcr,  I  will  come  now  to  the  next  thing. 

Secondly,  As  the  loss  of  the  soul  is,  in  the  nature  of  the 
loss,  a  loss  peculiar  to  itself,  so  the  loss  of  the  soul  is  a 
double  loss  ;  it  is,  I  say,  a  loss  that  is  double,  a  loss  both  by 


42  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

man  and  God  ;  man  has  lost  it,  and  by  that  loss  has  lost 
himself ;  God  has  lost  it,  and  by  that  loss  it  is  cast  away. 
And  to  make  this  a  little  plainer  unto  you,  I  suppose  it 
will  be  readily  granted  that  men  do  lose  their  souls.  But 
now  how  doth  God  lose  it  ?  The  soul  is  God's  as  well  as 
man's  (Jer.  xxxviii.  16  ;  Ezek.  xviii.  4);  man's,  because  it 
is  of  himself ;  God's,  because  it  is  his  creature  ;  God  has 
made  us  this  soul,  and  hence  it  is  that  all  souls  are  his. 

Now  the  loss  of  the  soul  doth  not  only  stand  in  the  sin 
of  man,  but  in  the  justice  of  God.  Hence  he  says,  "  What 
is  a  man  advantaged,  if  he  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose 
himself,  or  be  cast  away,"  Luke,  ix.  25.  Now  this  last 
clause,  "  or  be  cast  away,"  is  not  spoken  to  shew  what  he  that 
has  lost  his  soul  has  done  (though  a  man  may  also  be  said  to 
cast  away  himself),  but  to  shew  what  God  will  do  to  those 
that  have  lost  themselves,  what  God  will  add  to  that  loss. 
God  will  not  cast  away  a  righteous  man,  but  God  will  cast 
away  the  wicked  (Job,  viii.  20  ;  Matt.  xiii.  48),  such  a 
wicked  one  as  by  the  text  is  under  our  consideration.  This, 
then,  is  that  which  God  will  add,  and  so  make  the  sad  state 
of  them  that  lose  themselves  double.  The'man  for  sin  has 
lost  himself,  and  God  by  justice  will  cast  him  away  ;  ac- 
cording to  that  of  Abigail  to  David.  "  The  soul  of  my 
Lord,"  said  she,  "  shall  be  bound  in  the  bundle  of  life  with 
the  Lord  thy  God  ;  and  the  souls  of  thine  enemies,  them 
shall  he  sling  out,  as  out  of  the  midst  of  a  sling,"  1  Sam. 
XXV,  29.  So  that  here  is  God's  hand  as  well  as  man's  ; 
man's  by  sin,  and  God's  by  justice.  "  God  shall  cast  them 
away  ;"  wherefore  in  the  text  above  mentioned  he  doth 
not  say,  "  or  cast  away  himself,"  as  meaning  the  act  of  the 
man  whose  soul  is  lost ;  but,  "  or  be  cast  away,"  supposing 
a  second  person  joining  with  the  man  himself  in  the  making 
up  of  the  greatness  of  the  loss  of  the  soul — to  wit,  God  him- 
self, who  will  verily  cast  away  that  man  who  has  lost  him- 
self. God  shall  cast  them  away — that  is,  exclude  them  fi-om 
his  favour  or  protection,  and  deliver  them  up  to  the  due  re- 
ward of  their  deeds  !  He  shall  shut  them  out  of  his  hea- 
ven, and  deliver  them  up  to  their  hell ;  he  shall  deny  them 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  43 

a  share  in  his  glory,  and  shall  leave  them  to  their  own 
shame  ;  he  shall  deny  them  a  portion  in  his  peace,  and 
shall  deliver  them  up  to  the  torments  of  the  devil,  and  of 
their  own  guilty  consciences  ;  he  shall  cast  them  out  of  his 
affection,  pity,  and  compassion,  and  shall  leave  them  to  the 
flames  that  they  by  sin  have  kindled,  and  to  the  worm,  or 
biting  cockatrice,  that  they  themselves  have  hatched,  nursed, 
and  nourished  in  their  bosoms.  And  this  will  make  their 
loss  double,  and  so  a  loss  that  is  loss  to  the  uttermost,  a  loss 
above  every  loss.  A  man  may  cast  away  himself,  and  not 
be  cast  away  of  God  ;  a  man  may  be  cast  away  by  others, 
and  not  be  cast  away  of  God  ;  yea,  what  way  soever  a  man 
be  cast  away,  if  he  be  not  cast  away  for  sin,  he  is  safe,  he 
is  yet  sound,  and  in  a  sure  hand.  But  for  a  man  so  to  lose 
himself  as  by  that  loss  to  provoke  God  to  cast  him  away 
too,  this  is  fearful. 

The  casting  away,  then,  mentioned  in  Luke  is  a  casting 
away  by  the  hand  of  God,  by  the  revenging  hand  of  God  ; 
and  it  supposeth  two  things — 

1.  God's  abhorrence  of  such  a  soul. 

2.  God's  just  repaying  of  it  for  its  wickedness  by  way  of 
retaliation. 

1.  It  supposeth  God's  abhorrence  of  the  soul.  That  which 
we  abhor,  that  we  cast  from  us,  and  put  out  of  our  favour 
and  respect  with  disdain,  and  a  loathing  thereof.  So  when 
God  teacheth  Israel  to  loath  and  abhor  their  idols,  he  bids 
them  "  to  cast  away  their  very  covering  as  a  stinking  and 
menstruous  cloth,  and  to  say  unto  it.  Get  you  hence,''  Isa. 
XXX.  22.  "  He  shall  gather  the  good  into  vessels,  and  cast 
the  Imd  away,"  Matt,  xiii.  48  ;  xxv.  41.  Cast  them  out  of 
my  presence,  'Well,  but  whither  must  they  go  ?  The 
answer  is,  Into  hell,  into  utter  darkness,  into  the  fire  that 
is  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels.  Wherefore,  to  be 
cast  away  of  God,  it  sheweth  unto  us  God's  abhorrence  of 
such  souls,  and  how  vile  and  loathsome  such  are  in  his  di- 
vine eyes.  And  the  similitude  of  Abigail's  sling,  mentioned 
before,  doth  yet  further  shew  us  the  greatness  of  this  ab- 
horrence— "  The  souls  of  thine  enemies,"  said  she,  "  God 


44  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

shall  sling  out  as  out  of  the  middle  of  a  sling."  When  a 
man  casts  a  stone  away  with  a  sling,  then  he  casteth  it 
furthest  from  him,  for  with  a  sling  he  can  cast  a  stone  fui*- 
ther  than  hy  his  hand.  "  And  he,"  saith  the  text,  "  shall 
cast  them  away  as  with  a  sling."  But  that  is  not  all, 
neither  ;  for  it  is  not  only  said  that  he  shall  sling  away 
their  souls,  hut  that  he  shall  sling  them  away  as  "  out  of 
the  middle  of  a  sling."  When  a  stone  is  placed  to  he  cast 
away  just  in  the  middle  of  a  sling,  then  doth  the  slinger 
cast  it  furthest  of  all.  Now  God  is  the  slinger,  abhorrence 
is  his  sling,  the  lost  soul  is  the  stone,  and  it  is  placed  in  the 
very  middle  of  the  sling,  and  is  from  thence  cast  away. 
And  therefore  it  is  said  again  that  "  such  shall  go  into  utter, 
outer  darkness" — that  is,  furthest  off  of  all.  This,  there- 
fore, shews  us  how  God  abhors  that  man  that  for  sin  has 
lost  himself.  And  well  he  may  ;  for  such  an  one  has  not 
only  polluted  and  defiled  himself  with  sin  (and  that  is  the 
most  offensive  thing  to  God  under  heaven),  but  he  has 
abused  the  handiwork  of  God.  The  soul,  as  I  said  before, 
is  the  workmanship  of  God,  yea,  the  top-piece  that  he  hath 
made  in  all  the  visible  world  ;  also  he  made  it  for  to  be 
delighted  with  it,  and  to  admit  it  into  communion  with 
himself.  Now  for  man  thus  to  abuse  God  ;  for  a  man  to 
take  his  soul,  which  is  God's,  and  prostrate  it  to  sin,  to  the 
world,  to  the  devil,  and  every  beastly  lust,  flat  against  the 
command  of  God,  and  notwithstanding  the  soul  was  also 
his,  this  is  horrible,  and  calls  aloud  upon  that  God  whose 
soul  this  is  to  abhor,  and  to  shew,  by  all  means  possible, 
his  abhorrence  of  such  an  one. 

2.  As  this  casting  of  them  away  supposeth  God's  abhor- 
rence of  them,  so  it  supposeth  God's  just  repaying  of  them 
for  their  wickedness  by  way  of  retaliation. 

God  all  the  time  of  the  exercise  of  his  long-suffering  and 
forbearance  towards  them  did  call  upon  thom,  wait  upon 
them,  send  after  them  by  his  messengers,  to  turn  them  from 
their  evil  ways  ;  but  "  they  despised  at,  they  mocked,  the 
messengers  of  the  Lord,"  Hosea,  xi.  2.  "  Also  they  shut 
their  eyes,  and  would  not  see  ;  they  stopped  their  ears,  and 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  45 

would  not  understand  ;  and  did  harden  themselves  against 
the  beseeching  of  their  God,"  Rev.  x.  21  ;  Job,  xxi.  14,  15  ; 
Mai.  iii.  14.  Yea,  all  that  day  long  he  did  stretch  out  his 
hand  towards  them,  but  they  chose  to  be  a  rebellious  and 
gainsaying  people  ;  yea,  they  said  mito  God,  depart  from 
us  ;  and  what  is  the  Almighty  that  we  should  pray  unto 
him  ? 

And  of  all  these  things  God  takes  notice,  writes  them 
down,  and  seals  them  up  for  the  time  to  come,  and  will 
bring  them  out,  and  spread  them  before  them,  saying,  I 
have  called,  and  you  have  refused  ;  I  have  stretched  out 
mine  hand,  and  no  man  regarded ;  I  have  exercised  pa- 
tience, and  gentleness,  and  long-suffering  towards  you,  and 
in  all  that  time  you  despised  me,  and  cast  me  behind  your 
back  ;  and  now  the  time,  and  the  exercise  of  my  patience, 
when  I  waited  upon  you,  and  suffered  your  manners,  and 
did  bear  your  contempts  and  scorns,  is  at  an  end  ;  where- 
fore I  will  now  arise,  and  come  forth  to  the  judgment  that 
I  have  appointed. 

But,  Lord,  saith  the  sinner,  we  turn  now. 

But  now,  saith  God,  turning  is  out  of  season  ;  the  day  of 
my  patience  is  ended. 

But,  Lord,  says  the  sinner,  behold  our  cries. 

But  you  did  not,  says  God,  behold  nor  regard  my  cries. 

But,  Lord,  saith  the  sinner,  let  our  beseeching  find  place 
in  thy  compassions. 

But,  saith  God,  I  also  beseeched,  and  I  was  not  heard. 

But,  Lord,  says  the  sinner,  our  sins  lie  hard  upon  us. 

But  I  offered  you  pardon  when  time  was,  says  God,  and 
then  you  did  utterly  reject  it. 

But,  Lord,  says  the  sinner,  let  us  therefore  have  it  now. 

But  now  the  door  is  shut,  saith  God. 

And  what  then  ?  Why,  then,  by  way  of  retaliation,  God 
will  serve  them  as  they  have  served  him ;  and  so  the  wind- 
ing up  of  the  whole  will  be  this — they  shall  have  like  for  like. 
Time  was  when  they  \A'ould  have  none  of  him,  and  now  will 
God  have  none  of  them.  Time  was  when  they  cast  God 
behind  their  back   and  now  he  will  cast  away  their  soul 


46         THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

Time  was  when  they  would  not  heed  his  calls,  and  now 
he  will  not  heed  their  cries.  Time  was  "  when  they  ab- 
horred him,  and  now  his  soul  also  loatheth  them,"  Zech. 
xi.  8.  This  is  now  by  way  of  retaliation — like  for  like, 
scom  for  scorn,  repulse  for  repulse,  contempt  for  contempt ; 
according  to  that  which  is  written,  "  Therefore  it  came  to 
pass,  that  as  I  cried,  and  they  would  not  hear ;  so  they  cried, 
and  I  would  not  hear,  saith  the  Lord,"  Zech.  vii.  11-13. 
And  thus  I  have  also  shewed  you  that  the  loss  of  the  soul 
is  double — it  is  lost  by  man,  lost  by  God. 

But  oh  !  who  thinks  of  this  ?  who,  I  say,  that  now  makes 
light  of  God,  of  his  word,  his  servants  and  ways,  once  dreams 
of  such  retaliation,  though  God  to  warn  them  hath  even, 
in  the  day  of  his  patience,  threatened  to  do  it  in  the  day  of 
his  wrath,  saying,  "Because  I  called,  and  ye  refused  ;  I  have 
stretched  out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded ;  but'  ye  have 
set  at  nought  all  my  counsel,  and  would  none  of  my  re- 
proof :  I  also  will  laugh  at  your  calamity  ;  I  will  mock 
when  your  fear  cometh ;  when  your  fear  cometh  as  desola- 
tion, and  your  destruction  cometh  like  a  whirlwind  ;  when 
distress  and  anguish  cometh  upon  you.  Then  shall  they 
call  upon  me,  but  I  will  not  answer  ;  they  shall  seek  me 
early,  but  they  shall  not  find  me."  I  will  do  unto  them  as 
they  have  done  unto  me  ;  and  what  unrighteousness  is  in 
all  this  ?     But, 

Thirdly,  As  the  loss  of  the  soul  is  a  loss  peculiar  to  it- 
self, and  a  loss  double,  so,  in  the  third  place,  it  is  a  loss 
most  fearful,  because  it  is  a  loss  attended  with  the  most 
lieavy  curse  of  God.  This  is  manifest  both  in  the  giving  of 
tbe  rule  of  life,  and  also  in,  and  at  the  time  of  execution 
for,  the  breach  of  that  rule.  It  is  manifest  at  the  giving  of 
the  rule — "  Cursed  be  he  that  confirmeth  not  all  the  words 
of  this  law  to  do  them.  And  all  the  people  shall  say.  Amen," 
Deut.  xxvii.  26 ;  Gal.  iii.  10.  It  is  also  manifest  that  it  shall 
be  so  at  the  time  of  execution — "  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed, 
into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels," 
Matt,  xxv.  41.  What  this  curse  is,  none  do  know  so  well  as 
God  that  giveth  it,  and  as  the  fallen  angels,  and  the  spirits 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  TUE  LOSS  THEREOF.  47 

of  damned  men  that  are  now  shut  up  in  the  prison  of  hell, 
and  bear  it.  But  certainly  it  is  the  chief  and  highest  of  all 
kinds  of  curses.  To  be  cursed  in  the  basket  and  in  the  store, 
in  the  womb  and  in  the  barn,  in  my  cattle  and  in  my  body, 
are  but  fleabitings  to  this,  though  they  are  also  insupport- 
able in  themselves  ;  only  in  general  it  may  be  described 
thus.  But  to  touch  upon  this  curse,  it  lieth  in  a  depriva- 
tion of  all  good,  and  in  a  being  swallowed  up  of  all  the 
most  fearful  miseries  that  a  holy,  and  just,  and  eternal  God 
can  righteously  inflict,  or  lay  upon  the  soul  of  a  sinful  man. 
Now  let  reason  here  come  in  and  exercise  itself  in  the  most 
exquisite  manner  ;  yea,  let  him  now  count  up  all,  and  all 
manner  of  curses  and  torments  that  a  reasonable  and  an 
immortal  soul  is  or  can  be  made  capable  of,  and  able  to 
suffer  under,  and  when  he  has  done,  he  shall  come  infinitely 
short'  of  this  great  anathema,  this  master-curse  which  God 
has  reserved  amongst  his  treasuries,  and  intends  to  bring 
out  in  that  day  of  battle  and  war,  which  he  purposeth  to 
make  upon  damned  souls  in  that  day.  And  this  God  will 
do,  partly  as  a  retaliation,  as  the  former,  and  partly  by  way 
of  revenge.  1 .  By  way  of  retaliation  :  "  As  he  loved  curs- 
ing, so  let  it  come  unto  him  ;  as  he  delighted  not  in  bless- 
ing, so  let  it  be  far  from  him."  Again,  "  As  he  clothed 
himself  with  cursing  like  as  with  a  garment,  so  let  it  come 
into  his  bowels  like  water,  and  like  oil  into  his  bones  ;  let 
it  be  unto  him  as  a  garment  which  covereth  him,  and  for  a 
girdle  wherewith  he  is  girded  continually,"  Ps.  cix.  17-20. 
"  Let  this,"  saith  Christ,  "  be  the  reward  of  mine  adversa- 
ries from  the  Lord,"  &c.  2.  As  this  curse  comes  by  way  of 
retaliation,  so  it  cometh  by  way  of  revenge.  God  will  rigiit 
the  wrongs  that  sinners  have  done  him,  will  repay  ven- 
geance for  the  despite  and  reproach  wherewith  they  have 
affronted  him,  and  will  revenge  the  quarrel  of  his  cove- 
nant. And  the  beginning  of  revenges  are  terrible  ;  what, 
then,  will  the  whole  execution  be,  when  he  shall  come  in 
flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God, 
and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  ?  And  there- 
fore this  curse  is  executed  in  wrath,  in  jealousy,  in  anger 


48         THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

in  fury ;  yea,  the  heavens  and  the  earth  shall  be  burned  up 
with  the  fire  of  that  jealousy  in  which  the  great  God  will 
come,  when  he  cometh  to  curse  the  souls  of  sinners,  and 
when  he  cometh  to  defy  the  ungodly,  Deut.  xxxiii.  41,  42. 

It  is  little  thought  of,  but  the  manner  of  the  coming  of 
God  to  judge  the  world  declares  what  the  souls  of  impeni- 
tent sinners  must  look  for  then.  It  is  common  among  men, 
when  we  see  the  form  of  a  man's  countenance  changed,  when 
we  see  fire  sparkle  out  of  his  eyes,  when  we  read  rage  and 
fury  in  every  cast  of  his  face,  even  before  he  says  aught, 
or  doth  aught  either,  to  conclude  that  some  fearful  thing 
is  now  to  be  done,  Dan.  iii.  19, 23.  Why,  it  is  said  of  Christ 
when  he  cometh  to  j\idgment,  that  the  heavens  and  the  earth 
fly  away  (as  not  being  able  to  endure  his  looks),  that  his 
angels  are  clad  in  flaming  fire,  and  that  the  elements  melt 
with  fervent  heat,  and  all  this  is,  that  the  perdition  of  un- 
godly men  might  be  completed,  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord,  in  the  heat  of  his  anger,  from  the  glory  of  his  power. 
Rev.  XX.  11,  12  ;  2  Pet.  iii.  7;  2  Thess.  i.  8,  9.  Therefore 
God  will  now  be  revenged,  and  so  ease  himself  of  his  ene- 
mies, when  he  shall  cause  curses  like  millstones  to  fall  as 
thick  as  hail  on  the  hairy  scalp  of  such  an  one  as  goeth  on 
still  in  his  trespasses,  Psalm  Ixviii.  21.     But, 

Fourthly,  As  the  loss  of  the  soul  is  a  loss  peculiar  to  it- 
self, a  loss  double,  and  a  loss  most  fearful,  so  it  is  a  loss 
everlasting.  The  soul  that  is  lost  is  never  to  be  found  again, 
never  to  be  recovered  again,  never  to  be  redeemed  again. 
Its  banishment  from  God  is  everlasting  :  the  fire  in  which 
it  burns,  and  by  which  it  must  be  tormented,  is  a  fire  that 
is  ever,  everlasting  fire,  everlasting  burnings  ;  the  adder, 
the  snake,  the  stinging-worm,  dieth  not,  nor  is  the  fire 
quenched  ;  and  this  is  a  fearful  thing.  A  man  may  endure 
to  touch  the  fire  with  a  short  touch,  and  away  ;  but  to 
dwell  with  everlasting  burnings,  that  is  fearful.  Oh,  then, 
what  is  dwelling  with  them,  and  in  them,  for  ever  and  ever ! 
We  used  to  say,  light  burdens  far  carried  are  heavy  ;  what 
then  will  it  be  to  bear  that  burden,  that  guilt,  that  the  law 
and  the  justice  and  wrath  of  God,  will  lay  upon  the  lost 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  TnEREOF.  4f) 

soul  for  ever  ?  Now  tell  the  stars,  now  tell  the  drops  of  the 
sea,  and  now  tell  the  hladcs  of  grass  that  are  spread  upon 
the  face  of  all  the  earth,  if  thou  canst ;  and  yet  sooner  mayst 
thou  do  this  than  count  the  thousands  of  millions  of  thou- 
sands of  years  that  a  damned  soul  shall  lie  in  hell.  Sup- 
pose every  star  that  is  now  in  the  firmament  was  to  burn 
(by  himself  one  by  one)  a  thousand  years  a-piece,  would  it 
not  be  a  long  while  before  the  last  of  them  was  burned  out  ? 
and  yet  sooner  might  that  be  done  than  the  damned  soul 
be  at  the  end  of  punishment. 

There  are  three  things  couched  under  this  last  head  that 
will  fill  up  the  punishment  of  a  sinner. 

The  first  is,  that  it  is  everlasting. 

The  second  is,  that  therefore  it  will  be  impossible  for  the 
souls  in  hell  ever  to  say,  Now  we  are  got  half  way  through 
our  sorrows. 

The  third  is,  and  yet  every  moment  they  shall  endure 
eternal  punishment. 

The  first  I  have  touched  upon  already,  and  therefore  shall 
not  enlarge,  only  I  would  ask  the  wanton  or  unthinking 
sinner  whether  twenty,  or  thirty,  or  forty  years  of  the  de- 
ceitful pleasures  of  sin  is  so  rich  a  prize  as  that  a  man  may 
well  venture  the  ruins  that  everlasting  burnings  will  make 
upon  his  soul  for  the  obtaining  of  them,  and  living  a  few 
moments  in  them.  Sinner,  consider  this  before  I  go  any 
further,  or  before  thou  readest  one  line  more.  If  thou  hast 
a  soul,  it  concerns  thee  ;  if  there  be  a  hell,  it  concerns 
thee  ;  and  if  there  be  a  God  that  can  and  will  punish  the 
soul  for  sin  everlastingly  in  hell,  it  concerns  thee  ;  because, 

In  the  second  place,  it  will  be  impossible  for  the  damned 
soul  ever  to  say,  I  am  now  got  half  way  through  my  sor- 
rows. That  which  has  no  end  has  no  middle.  Sinner, 
make  a  round  circle,  or  ring,  upon  the  ground,  of  what  big- 
ness thou  wilt  ;  this  done,  go  thy  way  upon  that  circle,  or 
ring,  until  thou  comest  to  the  end  thereof;  but  that,  sayest 
thou,  I  can  never  do,  because  it  has  no  end  ;  I  answer,  but 
thou  mayst  as  soon  do  that  as  wade  half-way  through  the 
lake  of  fire  that  is  prepared  for  impenitent  souls.     Sinner, 


50  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

what  wilt  thou  take  to  make  a  mountain  of  sand  that  will 
reach  as  high  as  the  sun  is  at  noon  1  I  know  thou  wilt  not 
he  engaged  in  such  a  work,  because  it  is  impossible  thou 
shouldst  ever  perform  it.  But  I  dare  say  the  task  is  greater 
when  the  sinner  has  let  out  himself  to  sin  for  a  servant, 
because  the  wages  is  everlasting  burnings,  I  know  thou 
mayst  perform  thy  service,  but  the  wages,  the  judgment, 
the"  punishment  is  so  endless,  that  thou,  when  thou  hast 
been  in  it  more  millions  of  years  than  can  be  numbered, 
art  not,  nor  ever  yet  shall  be,  able  to  say,  I  am  lialf-way 
through  it.     And  yet, 

3.  That  soul  shall  partake  every  moment  of  that  punish- 
ment that  is  eternal.  Even  as  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and 
the  cities  about  them  in  like  manner,  giving  themselves 
over  to  fornication,  and  going  after  strange  ilesh,  are  set 
forth  for  an  example,  suffering  the  vengeance  of  eternal 
fire,  Jude,  7. 

1.  They  shall  endure  eternal  punishment  in  the  nature 
of  punishment.  There  is  no  punishment  here  wherewith 
one  man  can  chastise  another  that  can  deserve  a  greater  title 
than  that  of  transient  or  temporary  punishment ;  but  the 
punishment  there  is  eternal,  even  in  every  stripe  that  is 
given,  and  in  every  moment  that  it  grappleth  with  the  soul, 
even  every  twinge,  every  gripe,  and  every  stroke  that  jus- 
tice inflicteth,  leaveth  anguish  that  in  the  nature  of  punish- 
ment is  eternal  behind  it.  It  is  eternal,  because  it  comes 
fi"om  God,  and  lasts  for  ever  and  ever.  The  justice  that  in- 
flicts it  has  not  a  beginning,  and  it  is  this  justice  in  the 
operations  of  it  that  is  always  dealing  with  the  soul. 

2.  All  the  workings  of  the  soul  under  this  punishment 
are  such  as  cause  in  its  sufferings  to  endure  that  which  is 
eternal.  It  can  have  no  thought  of  the  end  of  punishment, 
])ut  it  is  presently  recalled  by  the  decreed  gulf  that  bindeth 
it  under  perpetual  punishment.  The  great  fixed  gulf,  it 
knows,  will  keep  it  in  its  present  place,  and  not  suffer  it  to 
go  to  heaven  (Luke  xvi.  26)  ;  and  now  there  is  no  other 
place  but  heaven  or  hell  to  be  in,  for  then  the  earth,  and 
the  works  that  are  therein,  will  be  burned  up.     Read  the 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  51 

text,  "  But  the  day  of  tlie  Lord  will  come  as  a  thief  in  the 
night,  in  the  which  the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a 
great  noise,  and  the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat, 
and  the  earth  also,  and  the  works  that  are  therein,  shall  be 
Inirnt  up,"  2  Pet.  iii.  10.  If,  then,  there  will  be  no  third 
place,  it  standeth  in  their  minds,  as  well  as  in  God's  decree, 
that  their  punishments  will  be  eternal ;  so  then,  sorrows, 
anguish,  tribulation,  grief,  woe,  and  pain,  will  in  every  mo- 
ment of  its  abiding  upon  the  soul,  not  only  flow  from 
thoughts  of  what  has  been,  and  what  is,  but  also  from  what 
will  be,  and  that  for  ever  and  ever.  Thus  every  thought 
that  is  truly  grounded  in  the  cause  and  nature  of  their  state 
will  roll,  toss,  and  tumble  them  up  and  down  in  the  cogita- 
tions and  fearful  apprehensions  of  the  lastingness  of  their 
damnation.  For  I  say,  their  minds,  their  memories,  their 
understandings,  and  consciences  wdll  all,  and  always  be 
swallowed  up  with  "  for  ever  ;"  yea,  they  themselves  will 
by  the  means  of  these  things  be  their  own  tormentors  for 
ever. 

3.  There  will  not  be  spaces,  as  days,  months,  years,  and 
the  like,  as  now,  though  we  make  bold  so  to  speak  (the 
better  to  present  our  thoughts  to  each  other's  capacities), 
for  then  there  shall  be  time  no  longer  ;  also  day  and  night 
shall  then  be  come  to  an  end. — "  He  hath  compassed  the 
waters  with  bounds,  until  the  day  and  night  come  to  an 
end"  (Job,  xxvi.  10),  until  the  end  of  light  with  dark- 
ness Now  when  time,  and  day  and  night  are  come  to  an 
end,  then  there  comes  in  eternity,  as  there  was  before  the 
day  and  night,  or  time,  were  created  ;  and  when  this  is 
come,  punishment  nor  glory  must  none  of  them  be  mea- 
sured by  days,  or  months,  or  years,  but  by  eternity  itself. 
Nor  shall  those  concerned  either  in  misery  or  glory  reckon 
of  their  now  new  state  as  they  used  to  reckon  of  things  in 
this  world  ;  but  they  shall  be  suited  in  their  capacities,  in 
their  understandings  and  apprehensions,  to  judge  and  count 
of  their  condition  according  as  will  best  stand  with  their 
state  in  eternity. 

Could  we  but  come  to  an  understanding  of  things  done 


52  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

in  heaven  and  hell  as  we  understand  how  things  are  done 
in  this  world,  we  should  be  strangely  amazed  to  see  how 
the  change  of  places  and  of  conditions  has  made  a  change 
in  the  understandings  of  men,  and  in  the  manner  of  their 
enjoyment  of  things.  But  this  we  must  let  alone  till  the 
next  world,  and  until  our  launching  into  it,  and  then, 
whether  we  be  of  the  right  or  left  hand  ones,  we  shall  well 
knoAv  the  state  and  condition  of  both  kingdoms.  In  the 
meantime,  let  us  addict  ourselves  to  the  belief  of  the  Scrip- 
tures of  truth,  for  therein  is  revealed  the  way  to  that  of 
eternal  life,  and  how  to  escape  the  damnation  of  the  soul, 
Matt.  XXV.  33.  But  thus  much  for  the  loss  of  the  soul, 
unto  which  let  me  add,  for  a  conclusion,  these  verses  fol- 
lowing : — 

These  cry,  alas !  but  all  in  vain  ; 

They  stick  fast  in  the  mire ; 
They  would  be  rid  of  present  pain. 

Yet  set  themselves  on  fire. 

Darkness  is  their  perplexity. 

Yet  do  they  hate  the  light ; 
They  always  see  their  misery, 

Yet  are  themselves  all  night. 

They  are  all  dead,  yet  live  they  do, 

Yet  neither  live  nor  die ; 
They  die  to  weal,  and  live  to  woe — 
^  This  is  their  misery. 

Now  will  confusion  so  possess 

These  monuments  of  ire, 
And  so  confound  them  with  distress,  ^ 

And  trouble  their  desire. 

That  what  to  think,  or  what  to  do. 

Or  where  to  lay  their  head, 
They  know  not :  'tis  the  damned's  woe 

To  live,  and  yet  be  dead. 

These  castaways  would  fain  have  life. 

But  know  they  never  shall ; 
They  would  forget  their  dreadful  plight. 

But  that  sticks  fast'st  of  all. 

God,  Christ,  and  heaven,  thoy  know  are  best* 

Yet  dare  not  on  thorn  think  ; 
They  know  the  saints  enjoy  their  rest. 

While  they  th(  ir  tears  do  drink. 


UNSrEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  63 

IV.  And  now  I  am  come  to  the  fourth  thing — that  is,  to 
shew  you  the  cause  of  the  loss  of  the  soul.  That  men  have 
souls, — that  souls  are  great  things, — that  souls  may  be  lost, 
this  I  have  shewed  you  already  ;  wherefoi-e  I  now  proceed  to 
shew  you  the  cause  of  this  loss.  The  cause  is  laid  down 
in  the  18th  chapter  of  Ezekiel  in  these  words  : — "  Behold, 
all  souls,"  says  God,  "  are  mine  ;  as  the  soul  of  the  father, 
so  also  the  soul  of  the  son  is  mine  :  the  soul  that  sinneth, 
it  shall  die."  It  is  sin,  then,  or  sinning  against  God,  that 
is  the  cause  of  dying — of  damning  in  hell-fire — for  that 
must  be  meant  by  dying ;  otherwise,  to  die,  according  to 
our  ordinary  acceptation  of  the  notion,  the  soul  is  not  cap- 
able of,  it  being  indeed  immortal,  as  hath  been  afore  asserted. 
So,  then,  the  soul  that  sinneth — that  is,  and  persevering  in 
the  same — that  soul  shall  die,  be  cast  away,  or  damned.  Yea, 
to  ascertain  [assure]  us  of  the  undoubted  truth  of  this,  the 
Holy  Ghost  doth  repeat  it  again,  and  that  in  this  very  chap- 
ter, saying,  "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die,"  verse  20. 

Now,  the  soul  may  divers  ways  be  said  to  sin  against 
God  ;  as, 

1.  In  its  receiving  of  sin  into  its  bosom,  and  in  its  re- 
taining and  entertaining  of  it  there.  Sin  must  first  be  re- 
ceived before  it  can  act  in,  or  be  acted  by,  the  soul.  Our 
first  parents  first  received  in  the  suggestion  or  motion,  and 
then  acted  it.  Now  it  is  not  here  to  be  disputed  when  sin 
was  received  by  the  soul,  so  much  as  whether  ever  the  soul 
received  sin  ;  for  if  the  soul  has  indeed  received  sin  into 
itself,  then  it  has  sinned,  and  by  doing  so  has  made  itself 
an  object  of  the  wrath  of  God,  and  a  firebrand  of  hell.  I 
say,  I  will  not  here  dispute  when  sin  was  received  by  the 
soul,  but  it  is  apparent  enough  that  it  received  it  betimes, 
because  in  old  time  every  child  that  was  brought  unto  the 
Lord  was  to  be  redeemed,  and  that  at  a  month  old  (Exod. 
xiii.  13  ;  xxxiv.  20),  which  to  be  sure  was  very  early,  and 
implied  that  then,  even  then,  the  soul  in  God's  judgment 
stood  before  him  as  defiled  and  polluted  with  sin.  But  al- 
though I  said  I  will  not  dispute  at  what  time  the  soul  may 
be  said  to  receive  sin,  yet  it  is  evident  that  it  was  precedent 


54         THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

to  the  redemption  made  mention  of  just  before,  and  so  be- 
fore the  person  redeemed  had  attained  to  the  age  of  a  month  ; 
and  that  God  might,  in  the  language  of  Moses,  give  us  to 
see  cause  of  the  necessity  of  this  redemption,  he  first  dis- 
tinguisheth,  and  saitli,  "  The  firstling  of  a  cow,  or  the  first- 
ling of  a  sheep,  or  the  firstling  of  a  goat,"  did  not  need  this 
redemption,  for  they  were  clean,  or  holy.  But  the  first- 
born of  men,  who  was  taken  in  lieu  of  the  rest  of  the  chil- 
dren, and  the  "  firstling  of  unclean  beasts,  thou  shalt  surely 
redeem,"  saith  he.  But  why  was  the  firstborn  of  men 
coupled  with  unclean  beasts  but  because  they  were  both 
unclean.  But  how  ?  I  answer,  the  beast  was  unclean  by 
God's  ordination,  but  the  other  w^as  unclean  by  sin.  'How, 
then,  it  will  be  demanded,  how  a  soul,  before  it  was  a  month 
old,  could  receive  sin  to  the  making  of  itself  unclean  1  I 
answer,  there  are  two  ways  of  receiving,  one  active,  the 
other  passive.  This  last  is  the  way  by  which  the  soul  at 
first  receiveth  sin,  and  by  so  receiving,  becometh  culpable, 
because  polluted  and  defiled  by  it.  And  this  passive  way 
of  receiving  is  often  mentioned  in  scripture,  Exodus,  xxvii. 
3  ;  2  Chron.  iv.  5  ;  Matt.  xiii.  20-23.  Thus  the  pans  re- 
ceived the  ashes  ;  thus  the  molten  sea  received  three  thou- 
sand baths  ;  thus  the  ground  receiveth  the  seed  ;  and  this 
receiving  is  like  that  of  the  wool  which  receiveth  the  dye, 
either  black,  white,  or  red  ;  and  as  the  fire  that  receiveth 
the  water  till  it  be  all  quenched  therewith  ;  or  as  the  wa- 
ter receiveth  such  stinking  and  poisonous  matter  into  it,  as 
for  the  sake  of  it,  it  is  poured  out  and  spilled  upon  the 
ground.  "  But  whence  should  the  soul  thus  receive  sin  ?" 
(Psalm  li.)  I  answer,  from  the  body,  ■while  it  is  in  the 
mother's  belly  ;  the  body  comes  fi'om  polluted  man,  and 
therefore  is  polluted — "  Who  can  bring  a  clean  thing  out 
of  an  imclean  ?"  Job,  xiv.  4.  The  soul  comes  from  God's 
hand,  and  therefore  as  so  is  pure  and  clean  ;  but  being  put 
into  this  body,  it  is  tainted,  polluted,  and  defiled  w^ith  the 
taint,  stench,  and  filth  of  sin  ;  nor  can  this  stench  and  filth 
be  l)y  man  purged  out,  when  once  from  the  body  got  into 
the  soul ;  sooner  may  the  blackamoor  change  his  skin,  or 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  65 

the  leopard  his  spots,  than  the  soul,  were  it  willing,  might 
purge  itself  of  this  pollution.  "  Though  thou  wash  thee 
Avith  nitre,  and  take  thee  much  soap,  yet  thine  iniquity  is 
marked  hefore  me,  saith  the  Lord  God." 

2.  But  as  I  said,  the  soul  has  not  only  received  sin,  but 
retains  it,  holds  it,  and  shews  no  kind  of  resistance.  It  is 
enough  that  the  soul  is  polluted  and  defiled,  for  that  is  suf- 
ficient to  provoke  God  to  cast  it  away  ;  for  which  of  you 
would  take  a  cloth  annoyed  with  stinking,,  ulcerous  sores, 
to  wipe  your  mouth  withal,  or  to  thrust  it  into  your 
bosoms  ?  and  the  soul  is  polluted  with  far  worse  pollution 
than  any  such  can  be.  But  this  is  not  all ;  it  retains  sin 
as  the  wool  retains  the  dye,  or  as  the  infected  water  receives 
the  stench  or  poisonous  scent ;  I  say,  it  retains  it  willingly ; 
for  all  the  power  of  the  soul  is  not  only  captivated  by  a 
seizure  of  sin  upon  the  soul,  but  it  willingly,  heartily,  una- 
nimously, universally  falleth  in  with  the  natural  filth  and 
pollution  that  are  in  sin,  to  the  estranging  of  itself  from 
God,  and  an  obtaining  of  an  intimacy  and  compliance  with 
the  devil. 

Now  this  being  the  state  and  condition  of  the  soul  from 
the  belly,  yea,  from  before  it  sees  the  light  of  this  world, 
w^hat  can  be  concluded  but  that  God  is  oiFended  with  it ! 
For  how  can  it  otherwise  be,  since  there  is  holiness  and 
justice  in  God  ?  Hence  those  that  are  born  of  a  woman, 
whose  original  is  by  carnal  conception  with  man,  are  said 
to  be  as  serpents  as  soon  as  born.  "  The  wicked  (and  all 
at  first  are  so)  go  astray  as  soon  as  they  are  born,  speaking 
lies.  Their  poison  is  the  poison  of  a  serpent ;  they  are  like 
the  deaf  adder  that  stoppeth  his  ear."  They  go  astray  from 
the  belly  ;  but  that  they  would  not  do  if  aught  of  the 
powers  of  their  soul  were  unpolluted.  "  But  their  poison 
is  the  poison  of  a  serpent."  Their  poison — what  is  that  ? 
Their  pollution,  theu'  original  pollution,  that  is  as  the 
poison  of  a  serpent — to  wit,  not  only  deadly,  for  so  poison 
is,  but  also  hereditary.  It  conies  from  the  old  one,  from 
the  sire  and  dam  ;  yea,  it  is  also  now  become  connatural 
to  and  with  them,  and  is  of  the  same  date  witli  the  chil(J 


56  THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

as  bom  into  the  world.  The  serpent  has  not  lier  poison,  in 
the  original  of  it,  either  from  imitation  or  from  other  infec- 
tive things  abroad,  though  it  may  by  such  things  be  helped 
forward  and  increased,  but  she  brings  it  with  her  in  her 
bowels,  in  her  nature,  and  it  is  to  her  as  suitable  to  her 
present  condition  as  is  that  which  is  most  sweet  and  whole- 
some to  other  of  the  creatures.  So,  then,  every  soul  comes 
into  the  world  as  poisoned  with  sin  ;  nay,  as  such  which 
have  poison  connatural  to  them  ;  for  it  has  not  only  re- 
ceived sin  as  the  wool  has  received  the  dye,  but  it  retaineth 
it.  The  infection  is  got  so  deep,  it  has  taken  the  black  so 
effectually,  that  the  fire,  the  very  fire  of  hell  can  never 
purge  the  soul  therefrom. 

And  that  the  soul  has  received  this  infection  thus  early, 
and  that  it  retains  it  so  surely,  is  not  only  signified  by 
children  coming  into  the  world  besmeared  in  their  mother's 
blood,  and  by  the  firstborn's  being  redeemed  at  a  month 
old,  but  also  by  the  first  inclinations  and  actions  of  children 
when  they  are  so  come  into  the  world,  Ezek.  xvi.  Who 
sees  not  that  lying,  pride,  disobedience  to  parents,  and  hypo- 
crisy, do  put  forth  themselves  in  children  before  they  know 
that  they  do  either  well  or  ill  in  so  doing,  or  before  they 
are  capable  to  learn  either  of  these  arts  by  imitation,  or 
seeing  understandingly  the  same  things  done  first  by 
others  ?  He  that  sees  not  that  they  do  it  naturally  from  a 
principle,  fi'om  an  inherent  principle,  is  either  blinded,  and 
has  retained  his  darkness  by  the  same  sin  as  they,  or  has 
suffered  himself  to  be  swayed  by  a  delusion  from  him  who 
at  first  infused  this  spawn  of  sin  into  man's  nature. 

Nor  doth  the  averseness  of  children  to  morality  a  little 
demonstrate  what  has  been  said  ;  for  as  it  would  make  a 
serpent  sick  should  one  give  it  a  strong  antidote  against 
his  poison,  so  then  are  children,  and  never  more  than  then, 
disturbed  in  their  minds,  when  a  strict  hand  and  a  stiff 
rein  by  moral  discipline  is  maintained  over  and  upon  them. 
True,  sometimes  restraining  grace  corrects  them,  but  that 
is  not  of  themselves  ;  but  more  oft  hypocrisy  is  the  great 
and  first  moving  wheel  to  all  their  seeming  compliances 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  TllEllEOF.  5» 

with  admonitions,  wliich  indulgent  parents  are  apt  to  over- 
look, yea,  and  sometimes,  through  unadvised ness,  to  com- 
mit for  the  principles  of  grace.  I  speak  now  of  that  which 
comes  before  conversion. 

But  as  I  said  before,  I  would  not  now  dispute,  only 
I  have  thought  good  thus  to  urge  these  things  to  make  my 
assertion  manifest,  and  to  shew  what  is  the  cause  of  the 
damnation  of  the  soul. 

3.  Again  ;  as  the  soul  receives  sin,  and  retains  it,  so  it 
also  doth  entertain  it — that  is,  countenance,  smile  upon, 
and  like  its  complexion  and  nature  well.  A  man  may  de- 
tain— that  is,  hold  fast — a  thing  which  yet  he  doth  not 
regard  ;  but  when  he  entertains,  then  he  countenances,  likes, 
and  delights  in  the  company.  Sin,  then,  is  first  received 
by  the  soul,  as  has  been  afore  explained,  and  by  that  re- 
ception is  polluted  and  defiled.  This  makes  it  hateful  in 
the  eyes  of  justice  ;  it  is  now  polluted.  Then,  secondly, 
this  sin  is  not  only  received,  but  retained — that  is,  it  sticks 
so  fast,  abides  so  fixedly  in  the  soul,  that  it  cannot  be  gotten 
out ;  this  is  the  cause  of  the  continuation  of  abhorrence  ; 
for  if  God  abhors  because  there  is  a  being  of  sin  there,  it 
must  needs  be  that  he  should  continue  to  abhor,  since  sin 
continues  to  have  a  being  there.  But  then,  in  the  third 
place,  sin  is  not  only  received,  detained,  but  entertained  by  the 
now  defiled  and  polluted  soul ;  wherefore  this  must  needs  be 
a  cause  of  the  continuance  of  anger,  and  that  with  aggrava- 
tion. When  I  say,  entertained,  I  do  not  mean  as  men 
entertain  their  enemies,  with  small  and  great  shot,  but  as 
they  entertain  those  whom  they  like,  and  those  that  are 
got  into  their  affections. 

And  therefore  the  wrath  of  God  must  cei-tainly  be  let  out 
upon  the  soul,  to  the  everlasting  damnation  of  it. 

Now  that  the  soul  doth  thus  entertain  sin  is  manifest  by 
these  several  particulars — 

1 .  It  hath  admitted  it  with  complacence  and  delight  into 
every  chamber  of  the  soul ;  I  mean,  it  has  been  delightfully 
admitted  to  an  entertainment  by  all  the  powers  or  faculties 
of  the  soul.     The  soul  hath  chosen  it  rather  than  God  ;  it 


58  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

also,  at  God's  command,  refuseth  to  let  it  go  ;  yea,  it 
clioosd;h  that  doctrine,  and  loveth  it  best  (since  it  must 
have  a  doctrine),  that  has  most  of  sin  and  baseness  in  it, 
Isa.  Ixv.  12  ;  Ixvi.  3.  "  They  say  to  the  seers.  See  not ; 
to  the  prophets.  Prophesy  not  unto  us  right  things,  speak 
unto  us  smooth  things,  prophesy  deceits,"  Isa.  xxx.  10, 

These  are  signs  that  the  soul  with  liking  hath  entertained 
sin  ;  and  if  there  be  at  any  time,  as  indeed  there  is,  a  war- 
rant issued  out  from  the  mouth  of  God  to  apprehend,  to 
condemn,  and  mortify  sin,  why  then, 

2.  These  shifts  the  souls  of  sinners  do  presently  make  for 
the  saving  of  sin  from  those  things  that  by  the  world  men 
are  commanded  to  do  unto  it — 

1.  They  will,  if  possible,  hide  it,  and  not  suffer  it  to  be 
discovered,  Prov,  xxviii.  13  ;  Job,  xx,  12,  13.  "  He  that 
hideth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper."  And  again,  they  hide 
it,  and  refuse  to  let  it  go.  This  is  an  evident  sign  that  the 
soul  has  a  favour  for  sin,  and  that  with  liking  it,  entertains 
it. 

2.  As  it  will  hide  it,  so  it  will  excuse  it,  and  plead  that 
this  and  that  piece  of  wickedness  is  no  such  evil  thing  ; 
men  need  not  be  so  nice,  and  make  such  a  pother  about  it, 
calling  those  that  cry  out  so  hotly  against  it,  men  more 
nice  than  wise.  Hence  the  prophets  of  old  used  to  be  called 
madmen,  and  the  world  would  reply  against  their  doctrine, 
"  Wherein  have  w^e  been  so  wearisome  to  God,  and  what 
have  we  spoken  so  much  against  him  ?"  Mai.  i.  6,  7. 

3.  As  the  soul  will  do  this,  so  to  save  sin  it  will  cover  it 
with  names  of  virtue,  either  moral  or  civil  ;  and  of  this 
God  greatly  complains,  yea,  breaks  out  into  anger  for  this, 
saying,  "  Woe  to  them  that  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil  ; 
that  put  darkness  for  light,  and  light  for  darkness  ;  and 
put  bitter  for  sweet,  and  sweet  for  bitter,"  Isa.  v.  20. 

4.  If  convictions  and  discovery  of  sin  be  so  strong  and  so 
plain  that  the  soul  cannot  deny  but  that  it  is  sin,  and  that 
God  is  offended  therewith,  then  it  will  give  flattering  pro- 
mises to  God  that  it  will  indeed  put  it  away,  but  j^et  it  will 
prefix  a  time  that  shall  be  long  first,  if  it  also  then  at  all 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  69 

performs  it,  saying,  Yet  a  little  sleep,  yet  a  little  slumber, 
yet  a  little  folding  of  sin  in  mine  arms,  till  I  am  older,  till 
I  am  richer,  till  I  have  had  more  of  the  sweetness  and  the 
delights  of  sin.  Thus,  "  their  soul  delighteth  in  their 
abominations,"  Isa.  Ixvi.  3. 

5.  If  God  yet  pursues,  and  will  see  whether  this  promise 
of  putting  sin  out  of  doors  shall  be  fulfilled  by  the  soul, 
why  then  it  will  be  partial  in  God's  law  ;  it  will  put  away 
some,  and  keep  some  ;  put  away  the  grossest,  and  keej)  the 
finest ;  put  away  those  that  can  best  be  spared,  and  keep 
the  most  profitable  for  a  help  at  a  pinch,  Mai.  ii.  9. 

6.  Yea,  if  all  sin  must  be  abandoned,  or  the  soul  shall 
have  no  rest,  why  then  the  soul  and  sin  will  part  (with 
such  a  parting  as  it  is),  even  as  Phaltiel  parted  with  David's 
wife,  with  an  ill-will  and  a  sorrowful  mind  ;  or  as  Orpha 
left  her  mother,  with  a  kiss,  2  Sam.  iii.  16  ;  Ruth,  i.  14. 

7.  And  if  at  any  time  they  can,  or  shall,  meet  with  each 
other  again,  and  nobody  never  the  wiser,  oh,  Avhat  courting 
will  be  betwixt  sin  and  the  soul.  And  this  is  called  doing 
of  things  in  the  dark,  Ezek.  viii.  12. 

By  all  these,  and  many  more  things  that  might  be 
instanced,  it  is  manifest  that  sin  has  a  friendly  entertain- 
ment by  the  soul,  and  that  therefore  the  soul  is  guilty  of 
damnation  ;  for  what  do  all  these  things  argue  but  that 
God,  his  word,  his  ways  and  graces,  are  out  of  favour  with 
the  soul,  and  that  sin  and  Satan  are  its  only  pleasant  com- 
panions.    But, 

Secondly,  That  I  may  yet  shew  you  what  a  great  thing  sin 
is  with  the  soul  that  is  to  be  damned,  I  will  shew  how  sin 
by  the  help  of  the  soul  is  managed  from  the  motion  of  sin, 
even  till  it  comes  to  the  very  act  ;  for  sin  cannot  come  to 
an  act  w^ithout  the  help  of  the  soul.  The  body  doth  little 
here,  as  I  shall  further  shew  j^ou  anon. 

Ther^is  then  a  motion  of  sin  presented  to  the  soul  (and 
whether  presented  by  sin  itself,  or  the  devil,  we  will  not  at 
this  time  dispute  ;)  motions  of  sin,  and  motions  to  sin  there 
are,  and  always  the  end  of  the  motions  of  sin  are  to  prevail 
with  the  soul  to  help  that  motion  into  an  act.     But,  I  say, 


60         THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

there  is  a  motion  to  sin  moved  to  the  soul,  or,  as  James 
calls  it,  a  conception.  Now  behold  how  the  soul  deals  with 
this  motion  in  order  to  the  finishing  of  sin,  that  death  might 
follow,  Rom.  vii.  5. 

1.  This  motion  is  taken  notice  of  by  the  soul,  but  is  not 
resisted  nor  striven  against,  only  the  soul  lifts  up  its  eyes 
upon  it,  and  sees  that  there  is  present  a  motion  to  sin,  a 
motion  of  sin  presented  to  the  soul,  that  the  soul  might 
midwife  it  fi-om  the  conception  into  the  world. 

2.  Well,  notice  being  taken  that  a  motion  to  sin  is  pre- 
sent, what  follows  but  that  the  fancy  or  imagination  of  the 
soul  taketh  it  home  to  it,  and  doth  not  only  look  upon  it 
and  behold  it  more  narrowly,  but  begins  to  trick  and  trim 
up  the  sin  to  the  pleasing  of  itself  and  of  all  the  powers  of 
the  soul.  That  this  is  true  is  evident,  because  God  findeth 
fault  with  the  imagination  as  with  that  which  lendeth  to 
sin  the  first  hand,  and  that  giveth  to  it  the  first  lift  towards 
its  being  helped  forward  to  act.  "  And  God  saAv  that  the 
wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the  earth"  (Gen.  vi.  5, 12, 13)  ; 
that  is,  many  abominable  actions  were  done  ;  for  all  flesh 
had  corrupted  God's  way  upon  the  earth.  But  how  came 
this  to  be  so  ?  Why,  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts,  or 
of  the  motions  that  were  in  the  heart  to  sin,  was  evil,  only 
evil,  and  that  continually.  The  imagination  of  the  thoughts 
was  evil — that  is,  such  as  tended  not  to  deaden  or  stifle, 
but  such  as  tended  to  animate  and  forward  the  motions  or 
thoughts  of  sin  into  action.  Every  imagination  of  the 
thoughts — that  which  is  here  called  a  thought  is  by  Paul 
to  the  Romans  called  a  motion.  Now  the  imagination  should 
and  would,  had  it  been  on  God's  side,  so  have  conceived  of 
this  motion  of  and  to  sins  as  to  have  presented  it  in  all  its 
features  so  ugly,  so  ill-favoured,  and  so  unreasonable  a  thing 
to  the  soul,  that  the  soul  should  forthwith  have  let  down 
the  sluice,  and  pulled  up  the  draw-bridge,  put  a  stop  with 
greatest  defiance  to  the  motion  now  under  consideration  ; 
but  the  imagination  being  defiled,  it  presently  at  tlie  very 
first  view  or  noise  of  the  motion  of  sin,  so  acted  as  to  for- 
ward the  bringing  the  said  motion  or  thought  into  act.   So, 


UNSPEAKABLEINESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEUEOP,  61 

then,  the  thought  of  sin,  or  motion  thereto,  is  first  of  ail 
entertained  by  the  imagination  and  fancy  of  the  soul,  and 
thence  conveyed  to  the  rest  of  the  poAvers  of  the  soul  to  be 
condemned,  if  the  imagination  be  good ;  but  to  be  helped 
forward  to  the  act,  if  the  imagination  be  evil.  And  thus  the 
evil  imagination  helpeth  the  motion  of  and  to  sin  towards 
the  act,  even  by  dressing  of  it  up  in  that  guise  and  habit 
that  may  best  delude  the  understanding,  judgment,  and 
conscience  ;  and  that  is  done  after  this  manner  :  suppose  a 
motion  of  sin  to  commit  fornication,  to  swear,  to  steal,  to 
act  covetously,  or  the  like,  be  propounded  to  the  fancy  and 
imagination ;  the  imagination,  if  evil,  presently  dresseth  up 
this  motion  in  that  garb  that  best  suiteth  with  the  nature 
of  the  sin.  As  if  it  be  the  lust  of  uncleanness,  then  is  the 
motion  to  sin  drest  up  in  all  the  imaginable  pleasurableness 
of  that  sin  ;  if  to  covetousness,  then  is  the  sin  drest  up  in 
the  profits  and  honours  that  attend  that  sin  ;  and  so  of 
theft  and  the  like  ;  but  if  the  motion  be  to  swear,  hector, 
or  the  like,  then  is  that  motion  drest  up  with  valour  and 
manliness ;  and  so  you  may  count  of  the  rest  of  sinful 
motions  ;  and  thus  being  trimmed  up  like  a  Bartholomew- 
baby,  it  is  presented  to  all  the  rest  of  the  powers  of  the  soul, 
where  with  joint  consent  it  is  admired  and  embraced,  to  the 
firing  and  inflaming  all  the  powers  of  the  soul. 

And  hence  it  is  that  men  are  said  to  inflame  themselves 
with  their  idols  under  every  green  tree,  "  and  to  be  as  fed 
horses,  neighing  after  their  neighbour's  wife  (Isa.  Ivii.  5  ; 
Jer.  v.  8)  ;  for  the  imagination  is  such  a  forcible  power, 
that  if  it  putteth  forth  itself  to  dress  up  and  present  a  thing 
to  the  soul,  whether  that  thing  be  evil  or  good,  the  rest  of 
the  faculties  cannot  w^ithstand  it.  Therefore  when  David 
prayed  for  the  children  of  Israel,  he  said,  "  I  have  seen 
with  joy  thy  people,  which  are  present  here  to  ofi^er  wil- 
lingly unto  thee  ;"  that  is,  for  preparations  to  build  the 
temple.  "  0  Lord  God,"  saith  he,  "  keep  this  for  ever  in 
the  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  the  heart  of  thy  people 
for  ever,  and  prepare  their  hearts  unto  thee,"  1  Chron.  xxix. 
17, 18.    He  knew  that  as  the  imagination  was  prepared,  so 


62  TUE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

would  the  soul  be  moved,  whether  by  evil  or  good  ;  there- 
fore as  to  this,  he  prays  that  their  imagination  might  be 
engaged  always  with  apprehensions  of  the  beauteousness  of 
tlie  temple,  that  they  might  always,  as  now,  offer  willingly 
for  its  building. 

But,  as  I  said,  when  the  imagination  hath  thus  set  forth 
sin  to  the  rest  of  the  faculties  of  the  soul,  they  are  presently 
entangled,  and  fall  into  a  flame  of  love  thereto  ;  this  being 
done,  it  follows  that  a  purpose  to  pursue  this  motion,  till 
it  be  brought  into  act,  is  the  next  thing  that  is  resolved  on. 
Thus  Esau,  after  he  had  conceived  of  that  profit  that  would 
accrue  to  him  by  murdering  of  his  brother,  fell  the  next 
way  into  a  resolve  to  spill  Jacob's  blood.  And  Rebecca 
sent  for  Jacob,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Behold,  thy  brother 
Esau,  as  touching  thee,  doth  comfort  himself,  purposing  to 
kill  thee,"  Gen.  xxvii.  42  ;  Jer.  xlix.  30.  Nor  is  this  pur- 
pose to  do  an  evil  without  its  fruit,  for  he  comforted  him- 
self in  his  evil  purpose :  "  Esau,  as  touching  thee,  doth 
comfort  himself,  pm-posing  to  kill  thee." 

The  purpose,  therefore,  being  concluded,  in  the  next  place, 
the  invention  is  diligently  set  to  work  to  find  out  what 
means,  methods,  and  ways  will  be  thought  best  to  bring 
this  purpose  into  practice,  and  this  motion  to  sin  into 
action.  Esau  invented  the  death  of  his  brother  when  his 
fiither  was  to  be  carried  to  his  grave,  Gen.  xxvii.  42 ;  2  Sam. 
xi.  13.  David  purposed  to  make  Uriah  father  his  bastard 
child  by  making  of  him  drunk,  Amnon  pui-posed  to  ravish 
Tamer,  and  the  means  that  he  invented  to  do  it  was  by 
feigning  himself  sick.  Absalom  purposed  to  kill  Amnon, 
and  invented  to  do  it  at  a  feast.  Judas  purposed  to  sell 
Christ,  and  invented  to  betray  him  in  the  absence  of  the 
people,  Luke,  xxii.  3-6.  The  Jews  purposed  to  kill  Paul, 
and  invented  to  entreat  the  judge  of  a  blandation  [endea- 
voured to  persuade  him]  to  send  for  him,  that  they  might 
murder  him  as  he  went.  Acts,  xxiii.  12-15. 

Thus  you  see  how  sin  is,  in  the  motion  of  it,  handed 
through  the  soul — first,  it  comes  into  the  fancy  or  imagina- 
tion, by  which  it  is  so  presented  to  the  soul  as  to  inflame  it 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  01-'  THE  LOSiS  TnEllEOF.  G3 

with  desire  to  hring  it  into  act ;  so  from  this  desire  the  soul 
proceedeth  to  a  purpose  of  enjoying,  and  from  a  purpose  of 
enjoying  to  inventing  how,  or  by  what  means,  it  had  best 
to  attempt  the  accomplishing  of  it. 

But,  further,  when  the  soul  has  thus  far,  by  its  wicked- 
ness, pursued  the  motion  of  sin  to  bring  it  into  action,  then 
to  the  last  thing — to  wit,  to  endeavour  to  take  the  oppor- 
tunity which  by  the  invention  is  judged  most  convenient, 
so  to  endeavours  it  goes  till  it  has  finished  sin,  and  finished, 
in  finishing  of  that,  its  own  fearful  damnation.  "  Then  lust, 
when  it  hath  conceived,  bringeth  forth  sin  :  and  sin,  wlien 
it  is  finished,  bringeth  forth  death,"  James,  i.  15. 

And  who  knows  but  God  and  the  soul  how  many  lets, 
hindrances,  convictions,  fears,  frights,  misgivings,  and 
thoughts  of  the  judgment  of  God,  all  this  while  are  passing 
and  repassing,  turning  and  returning,  over  the  face  of  the 
soul  1  how  many  times  the  soul  is  made  to  start,  look  back, 
and  tremble,  while  it  is  pursuing  the  pleasure,  profit, 
applause,  or  preferment  that  sin,  when  finished,  promiseth 
to  yield  unto  the  soul  1  for  God  is  such  a  lover  of  the  soul, 
that  he  seldom  lets  it  go  on  in  sin,  but  he  cries  to  it  by  his 
word  and  providences — "  Oh!  do  not  this  abominable  thing 
that  I  hate!"  especially  at  first,  until  it  shall  have  hardened 
itself,  and  so  provoked  him  to  give  it  up  in  sin-revenging 
judgment  to  its  own  ways  and  doings,  which  is  the  terriblest 
judgment  under  heaven  ;  and  this  brings  me  to  the  third 
thing,  the  which  I  now  will  speak  to. 

3.  As  the  soul  receives,  detains,  entertains,  and  wilily 
worketh  to  bring  sin  from  the  motion  into  act,  so  it  abhor - 
reth  to  be  controlled  and  taken  off  this  work — "  My  soul 
loathed  them,"  says  God  ;  "  and  their  soul  also  abhorred 
me,"  Zech.  xi.  8.  My  soul  loathed  them,  because  they  were 
so  bad  ;  and  their  souls  abhorred  me,  because  I  am  so  good. 
Sin,  then,  is  the  cause  of  the  loss  of  the  soul ;  because  it 
hath  set  the  soul,  or  rather,  because  the  soul  of  love  to  sin 
hath  set  itself,  against  God.  "Woe  unto  their  souls,  for 
they  have  rewarded  evil  unto  themselves,"  Isa.  iii.  9. 

That  you  may  the  better  perceive  that  the  soul,  through 


64  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

sin,  has  set  itself  against  God,  I  will  propose,  and  speak 
briefly  to,  these  two  things — 

I.  The  law. 

II.  The  gospel. 

I.  For  the  laAv.  God  has  given  it  for  a  rule  of  life,  either 
as  ^^Titten  in  their  natures,  or  as  inserted  in  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures ;  I  say,  for  a  rule  of  life  to  all  the  children  of  men. 
But  what  have  men  done,  or  how  have  they  carried  it  to 
this  law  of  their  Creator,  let  us  see,  and  that  from  the 
mouth  of  God  himself. 

Firsty  They  have  not  hearkened  unto  my  law,  Jer.  vi. 
19  ;  ix.  13  ;  xvi.  11  ;  xliv. 

Secondly,  They  have  forsaken  my  law. 

Thirdly,  They  have  forsaken  me,  and  not  kept  my  law. 

Fourthly,  They  have  not  walked  in  my  law,  nor  in  my 
statutes. 

Fifthly,  Her  priests  have  violated  my  law,  Ezek.  xxii. 
26  ;  Hos.  viii.  12. 

Sixthly,  And,  saith  God,  I  have  written  to  him  the  great 
things  of  my  law,  hut  they  were  counted  as  a  strange  thing. 

Now  whence  should  all  this  disobedience  arise?  Not 
from  the  unreasonableness  of  the  commandment,  but  fi*om 
the  opposition  that  is  lodged  in  the  soul  against  God,  and 
the  enmity  that  it  entertains  against  goodness.  Hence  the 
apostle  speaks  of  the  enmity,  and  says,  that  men  are  enemies 
in  their  minds,  their  souls,  as  is  manifest  by  wicked  works, 
Col.  i.  21. 

This,  if  men  went  no  further,  must  needs  be  highly  pro- 
voking to  a  just  and  holy  God  ;  yea,  so  highly  offensive  is 
it,  that,  to  shew  the  heat  of  his  anger,  he  saith,  "  Indigna- 
tion and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul 
of  man  that  doth  evil  (and  this  is  evil  with  a  witness), 
of  the  Jew  first,  and  also  of  the  Gentiles,  that  doth  evil" 
(Rom.  ii.  8,  9),  that  breaketh  the  law  ;  for  that  evil  he  is 
ciying  out  against  now.     But, 

II.  To  speak  of  the  gospel,  and  of  the  carriage  of  sinful 
souls  towards  God  under  that  dispensation. 

The  gospel  is  a  revelation  of  a  sovereign  remedy,  provided 


UiS'SPEAKABLENSS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF,  65 

hy  God  tlirougli  Christ,  for  the  health  and  salvation  of 
those  that  have  made  themselves  objects  of  wrath  by  the 
lireach  of  the  law  of  works  ;  this  is  manifest  by  all  the 
Scripture.  But  how  doth  the  soul  carr}^  it  towards  God 
when  he  offereth  to  deal  with  it  under  and  by  this  dispen- 
sation of  grace?  Why,  just  as  it  carried  it  under  the  law 
of  works — they  oppose,  they  contradict,  they  blaspheme, 
and  forbid  that  this  gospel  be  mentioned.  What  higher 
affront  or  contempt  can  be  offered  to  God,  and  what  greater 
disdain  can  be  shewn  against  the  gospel  1  Acts,  xiii.  45  ; 
xviii.  6  ;  2  Tim.  ii.  25  ;  1  Thess.  ii.  13-15.  Yet  all  this  the 
poor  soul,  to  its  own  ^^Tong,  offereth  against  the  way  of  its 
OAVTi  salvation,  as  it  is  said  in  the  w^ord  of  truth,  "  He  that 
sinneth  against  me  wrongs  his  own  soul :  all  that  hate  me 
love  death,"  Prov.  viii.  36. 

But  further,  the  soul  despiseth  not  the  gospel  in  that 
revelation  of  it  only,  but  the  great  and  chief  Bringer  thereof, 
with  the  manner  also  of  his  bringing  of  it. 

The  Bringer,  the  great  Bringer  of  the  gospel,  is  the  good 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself ;  he  came  and  preached  peace  to 
them  that  the  law  proclaimed  war  against  (Eph,  ii.  17)  ;  he 
came  and  preached  peace  to  them  that  were  far  off,  and  to  them 
that  were  nigh.  And  it  is  w^orth  your  observation  to  take 
notice  how  he  came :  and  that  was  and  still  is  (as  he  is  set 
forth  in  the  word  of  the  gospel),  to  wit,  first,  as  making 
peace  himself  to  God  for  us  in  and  by  the  blood  of  his  cross ; 
and  then  as  bearing  (as  set  out  by  the  gospel)  the  very 
characters  of  his  sufferings  before  our  faces  in  every  tender 
of  the  gospel  of  his  grace  unto  us.  And  to  touch  a  little 
ujjon  the  dress  in  which,  by  the  gospel,  Christ  presentetli 
hhuself  unto  us  while  he  offereth  unto  sinful  souls  his  peace 
by  the  tenders  thereof. 

1.  He  is  set  forth  as  bom  for  us,  to  save  our  souls,  Isaiah, 
ix.  6  ;  Luke,  ii.  9-12  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  3  ;  Gal.  iii.  13  ;  Rom.  x. 
4  ;  Dan.  ix.  24. 

2.  He  is  set  forth  before  us  as  bearing  of  our  sins,  for  us, 
and  suffering  God's  wrath  for  us. 

3.  He  is  set  forth  before  us  as  fulfilling  the  law  for  us, 


66  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

and  as  bringing  of  everlasting  righteousness  to  us  for  our 
covering. 

Again,  as  to  the  manner  of  his  working  out  the  salva- 
tion of  sinners  for  them,  that  they  might  have  peace  and 
joy,  and  heaven  and  glory,  for  ever — 

1.  He  is  set  forth  as  sweating  of  blood  while  he  was  in 
his  agony,  wrestling  with  the  thoughts  of  death,  which  he 
was  to  suffer  for  our  sins,  that  he  might  save  the  soul, 
Luke,  xxii,  24. 

2.  He  is  set  forth  as  crying,  weeping,  and  mourning  under 
the  lashes  of  justice  that  he  put  himself  under,  and  was 
willing  to  bear  for  our  sins,  Heb.  iii.  7. 

3.  He  is  set  forth  as  betrayed,  apprehended,  coixlemned, 
spit  on,  scourged,  buffeted,  mocked,  crowned  with  thorns, 
crucified,  pierced  with  nails  and  a  spear,  to  save  the  soul 
from  being  betrayed  by  the  devil  and  sin  ;  to  save  it  fi-om 
being  apprehended  by  justice,  and  condemned  by  the  law  ; 
to  save  it  from  being  spit  on  in  a  way  of  contempt  by  holi- 
ness ;  to  save  it  from  being  scourged  with  guilt  of  sins  as 
with  scorpions  ;  to  save  it  fi-om  being  continually  bufleted 
by  its  own  conscience  ;  to  save  it  from  being  mocked  at  by 
God  ;  to  save  it  from  being  crowned  with  ignominy  and 
shame  for  ever ;  to  save  it  fe*om  dying  the  second  death  ; 
to  save  it  from  wounds  and  grief  for  ever. 

Dost  thou  understand  me,  sinful  soul  ?  He  wrestled 
with  justice,  that  thou  mightst  have  rest ;  he  wept  and 
mourned,  that  thou  mightst  laugh  and  rejoice  ;  he  was 
betrayed,  that  thou  mightst  go  fi*ee  ;  was  apprehended, 
that  thou  mightst  escape  ;  he  was  condemned,  that  thou 
mightst  be  justified  ;  and  was  killed,  that  thou  mightst 
live  ;  he  wore  a  crown  of  thorns,  that  thou  mightst  wear  a 
crown  of  glory  ;  and  was  nailed  to  the  cross,  with  his  arms 
wide  open,  to  shew  with  what  freeness  all  his  merits  shall 
be  bestowed  on  the  coming  soul,  and  how  heartily  he  will 
receive  it  into  his  bosom. 

Further,  all  this  he  did  of  mere  good- will,  and  ofFereth 
the  benefit  thereof  unto  thee  fi-eely  ;  yea,  he  cometh  unto 
thee  in  the  word  of  the  gospel,  with  the  blood  running 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF,  67 

down  from  his  head  upon  his  face,  with  his  tears  abiding 
upon  his  cheeks,  with  the  holes  as  fresh  in  his  hands  and 
his  feet,  and  as  with  the  blood  still  bubbling  out  of  his 
side,  to  pray  thee  to  accept  of  the  benefit,  and  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  God  thereby,  2  Cor.  v.  But  Avhat  saith  the  sinful 
soul  to  this  ?  I  do  not  ask  Avhat  he  saith  with  his  lips,  for 
he  will  assuredly  flatter  God  with  his  mouth  ;  but  what 
doth  his  actions  and  carriages  declare  as  to  his  acceptance 
of  this  incomparable  benefit  'I  "  For  a  wicked  man  speak- 
eth  with  his  feet,  and  teacheth  with  his  fingers,"  Prov.  vi. 
12,  13.  With  his  feet — that  is,  by  the  way  he  goeth  ;  and 
with  his  fingers — that  is,  by  his  acts  and  doings.  So,  then, 
what  saith  he  by  his  goings,  by  his  acts  and  doings,  unto 
this  incomparable  benefit,  thus  brought  unto  him  from  the 
Father  by  his  only  Son  Jesus  Christ  ?  What  saith  he  ? 
Why,  he  saith  that  he  doth  not  at  all  regard  this  Christ, 
nor  value  the  grace  thus  tendered  unto  him  in  the  gospel. 

First,  He  saith,  that  he  regardeth  not  this  Christ,  that 
he  seeth  nothing  in  him  why  he  should  admit  him  to  be 
entertained  in  his  affections.  Therefore  the  prophet,  speak- 
ing in  the  person  of  sinners,  says,  "  He  (Christ)  hath  no 
form  nor  comeliness,  and  when  we  shall  see  him,  there  is 
no  beauty  that  we  should  desire  him"  (Isaiah,  liii.  2,  3); 
and  then  adds,  to  shew  what  he  meaneth  by  his  thus 
speaking,  saying,  "  He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men." 
All  this  is  spoken  with  reference  to  his  person,  and  it  was 
eminently  fulfilled  upon  him  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  when 
lie  was  hated,  maligned,  and  persecuted  to  death  by  sinners  ; 
and  is  still  fulfilled  in  the  souls  of  sinners,  in  that  they 
cannot  abide  to  think  of  him  with  thoughts  that  have  a 
tendency  in  them  to  separate  them  and  their  lusts  asunder, 
and  to  the  making  of  them  to  embrace  him  for  their  darling, 
and  the  taking  up  of  their  cross  to  follow  him.  All  this 
sinners  speak  out  with  loud  voices,  in  that  they  stop  their 
ears  and  shut  their  eyes  as  to  liim,  but  open  them  wide  and 
hearken  diligently  to  anything  that  pleaseth  the  flesh,  and 
that  is  a  nursery  to  sin.     But, 

fiecondly,  Aa  they  despise,  and  reject,  and  do  not  regard 


6S  t;;e  greatxess  of  the  soul,  and 

liis  person,  so  they  do  not  value  the  grace  that  he  tendereth 
unto  tliem  by  the  gospel ;  this  is  plain  by  that  indifFerency 
of  spirit  that  always  attends  them  when  at  any  time  they 
hear  thereof,  or  when  it  is  presented  unto  them. 

I  may  safely  say,  that  the  most  of  men  who  are  con- 
cerned in  a  trade  will  be  more  vigilant  in  dealing  with  a 
twelvepenny  customer  than  they  will  be  with  Christ  when 
he  comes  to  make  unto  them  by  the  gospel  a  tender  of  the 
incomparable  grace  of  God.  Hence  they  are  called  fools, 
''■because  a  price  is  put  into  their  hands  to  get  wisdom,  and 
they  have  no  heart  unto  it,"  Prov.  xvii.  16.  And  hence 
again  it  is  that  that  bitter  complaint  is  made,  "  But  my 
people  would  not  hearken  to  my  voice,  and  Israel  would 
none  of  me,"  Psalm  Ixxxi.  11. 

Now  these  things  being  found,  as  practised  by  the  souls 
of  sinners,  must  needs  after  a  wonderful  manner  provoke  ; 
wherefore  no  marvel  that  the  heavens  are  bid  to  be 
astonished  at  this,  and  that  damnation  shall  seize  upon  the 
soul  for  this. 

And  indeed,  the  soul  that  doth  thus  by  practice,  though 
with  his  mouth  (as  who  doth  not  ?)  he  shall  shew  much 
love,  he  doth  interpretatively  say  these  things,  Jer.  ii. — 

1.  That  he  loveth  sin  better  than  grace,  and  darkness 
better  than  light,  even  as  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath 
shewed — "  And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is  come 
into  the  world,  and  men  love  darkness  more  than  light  (as 
is  manifest),  because  their  deeds  are  evil." 

2.  They  do  also,  by  their  thus  rejecting  of  Christ  and 
grace,  say,  that  for  what  the  law  can  do  to  them,  they  value 
it  not  ;  they  regard  not  its  thundering,  tlireateniugs,  nor 
will  they  shrink  when  they  come  to  endure  the  execu- 
tion thereof  ;  wherefore  God  to  deter  them  from  such  bold 
and  desperate  ways,  that  do  interpretatively  fully  declare 
tbat  tboy  make  such  desperate  conclusions,  insinuates  that 
the  burden  of  the  curse  thereof  is  intolerable,  saying,  "Can 
thy  heart  endure,  or  can  thy  hands  be  strong  in  the  day 
that  I  shall  deal  with  thee  ;  I  the  Lord  have  spoken  it,  I 
will  do  it  "  Ezek.  xxii.  14. 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  69 

3.  Yea,  by  tlicir  thus  doing,  they  do  as  good  as  say  that 
they  will  run  the  hazai'd  of  a  sentence  of  death  at  the  day 
of  judgment,  and  that  they  will  in  the  meantime  join  issue, 
and  stand  a  trial  at  that  day  with  the  great  and  terrible 
God,  What  else  means  their  not  hearkening  to  him,  their 
despising  of  his  Son,  and  the  rejecting  of  his  grace  ;  yea,  I 
say  again,  what  else  means  their  slighting  of  the  curse  of 
the  law,  and  their  choosing  to  abide  in  their  sins  till  the 
day  of  death  and  judgment.  And  thus  I  have  shewed  you 
the  causes  of  the  loss  of  the  soul ;  and  assuredly  these 
things  are  no  fables. 

Object.  But  some  may  object,  and  say.  But  you  de- 
nounce all  against  the  soul,  as  if  the  body  were  in  no  fault 
at  all,  or  as  if  there  were  no  punishment  assigned  for  the 
body. 

Answ.  1.  The  soul  must  be  the  part  punished,  because 
the  soul  is  that  which  sins.  "  Every  sin  that  a  man  doth 
is  without  the  body,"  fornication  or  adultery  excepted.  Is 
without  the  body — that  is,  as  to  the  wilily  inventing,  con- 
triving, and  finding  out  ways  to  bring  the  motions  of  sin 
into  action.  For  alas  !  what  can  the  body  do  as  to  these  ? 
It  is  in  a  manner  wholly  passive  ;  yea,  altogether  as  to  the 
lusting  and  purposing  to  do  the  wickedness,  excepting  thf  sin 
before  excepted ;  ay,  and  not  excepting  that,  as  to  the  rise 
of  that  sin  ;  for  even  that,  with  all  the  rest,  ariseth  and 
proceedeth  out  of  the  heart,  the  soul :  "  For  from  within, 
out  of  the  heart  of  man,  proceed  fornication,  adultery,  mur- 
der, thefts,  covetousness,  wickedness,  deceit,  lasciviousness,  an 
evil  eye,  blasphemy,  pride,  foolishness :  all  these  evil  things 
come  from  within,  and  defile  the  man,"  ]  Cor.  vi.  18.  That 
is  the  outward  man.  But  a  difference  must  ahvays  be  put 
betwixt  defiling  and  being  defiled,  that  which  defileth  being 
the  worst ;  not  but  that  the  body  shall  have  its  share  of 
judgment,  for  body  and  soul  must  be  destroyed  in  hell ;  the 
body  as  the  instrument,  the  soul  as  the  actor  ;  but  oh  !  the 
soul,  the  soul,  the  soul  is  the  sinner,  and  therefore  the  soul, 
as  the  principal,  must  be  punished,  Mark,  vii.  21-23. 

And  that  God's  indignation  burneth  most  against  the 


70  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

soul  appears  in  that  death  lias  seized  upon  every  soul 
already  ;  for  the  Scripture  saith  that  every  natural  or  un- 
converted man  is  dead,  Luke,  xii.  4  ;  INIatt.  x.  28.  Dead  ! 
How  ]  Is  his  hody  dead  1  No,  verily  ;  his  hody  liveth, 
hut  his  soul  is  dead.  Dead  !  But  with  what  death  1  Dead 
to  God,  and  to  all  things  gospelly  good,  hy  reason  of  that 
benumbing,  stupefying,  and  senselessness,  that  by  God's  just 
judgment  for  and  by  sin  hath  swallowed  up  the  soul,  Eph. 
ii.  1-3.  Yea,  if  you  observe,  you  shall  see  that  the  soul 
goeth  first,  or  before,  in  punishment,  not  only  by  what  has 
been  said  already,  in  that  the  soul  is  first  made  a  partaker 
of  death,  but  in  that  God  first  deals  with  the  soul  by  con- 
victions, yea,  and  terrors  perliaps,  while  the  body  is  well  ; 
or  in  that  he  giveth  up  the  soul  to  judicial  hardness,  and 
fui-ther  blindness,  while  he  leaveth  the  body  to  do  his  office 
in  the  world  ;  yea,  and  also  when  the  day  of  death  and  dis- 
solution is  come,  the  body  is  spared,  while  the  soul  is  tor- 
mented in  unutterable  torment  in  liell.  And  so,  I  say,  it 
shall  be  spared,  and  the  clods  of  the  valley  shall  be  sweet 
unto  it,  while  tlie  soul  moumeth  in  hell  for  sin.  It  is  true, 
at  the  day  of  judgment,  because  that  is  the  last  and  final 
judgment  of  God  on  men,  then  the  body  and  soul  shall  be 
re-united,  or  joined  together  again,  and  shall  then  together 
partake  of  that  recompense  for  their  wickedness  which  is 
meet.  When  I  say,  the  body  is  spared,  and  the  soul  tor- 
mented, I  mean  not  that  the  body  is  not  then  at  death  made 
to  partake  of  the  wages  of  sin,  "  for  the  wages  of  sin  is 
death"  (Rom.  vi.)  ;  but  I  mean,  the  body  partakes  then 
but  of  temporal  death,  which,  as  to  sense  and  feeling,  is 
suiuetlmes  over  presently,  and  then  resteth  in  the  grave, 
while  the  soul  is  tomienting  in  hell.  Yea,  and  why  is 
death  suffered  to  slay  the  body  1  I  dare  say,  not  chiefly 
for  that  the  indignation  of  God  most  Tiurneth  against  the 
body  ;  but  the  l^od}^  being  tbe  house  for  the  soul  in  this 
world,  God  even  pulls  down  this  body,  that  the  soul  may  be 
strijjped  naked,  and  being  strip})ed,  may  be  carried  to  prison, 
to  the  place  where  damned  souls  are,  there  to  suffer  in  the 
beginning  of  suffering  that  jnniishment  that  will  be  endless. 


TJXSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  71 

2.  Therefore  the  soul  must  be  the  part  most  sorely 
punished,  because  justice  must  be  distributed  with  equity. 
God  is  a  God  of  knowledge  and  judgment ;  by  him  actions 
are  weighed  ;  actions  in  order  to  judgment,  1  Sam.  ii.  Now 
by  weighing  of  actions,  since  he  finds  the  soul  to  have  the 
deepest  hand  in  sin,  and  he  says  that  he  hath  so,  of  equity 
the  soul  is  to  bear  the  burden  of  pimishment.  Shall  not 
the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  in  his  famous  distribu- 
ting of  judgment  1  Gen.  xix.  25.  He  will  not  lay  upon 
man  more  than  right,  that  he  should  enter  into  judgment 
with  God,  Job.  xxxiv.  23.  The  soul,  since  deepest  in  sin, 
shall  also  be  deepest  in  punishment.  "  Shall  one  man  sin," 
said  Moses,  "  and  wilt  thou  be  wroth  with  all  the  congrega- 
tion ?"  Numb.  xvi.  22.  He  pleads  here  for  equity  in  God's 
distributing  of  judgment ;  yea,  and  so  exact  is  God  in  the 
distribution  thereof,  that  he  will  not  punish  heathens  so  as 
he  will  punish  Jews  ;  wherefore  he  saith,  "  Of  the  Jew 
first,  or  chiefly,  and  also  of  the  Gentile"  (Rom.  ii.  9)  ;  yea, 
in  hell  he  has  prepared  several  degrees  of  punishment  for 
the  several  sorts  or  degrees  of  offenders — "  And  some  shall 
receive  greater  damnation,"  Luke,  xx.  47.  And  will  it  not 
be  unmeet  for  us  to  think,  since  God  is  so  exact  in  all  his 
doings,  that  he  will,  as  I  may  say,  carelessly,  without  his 
weiglits  and  measures  give  not  to  soul  and  body,  severally, 
tlieir  punishments  according  to  the  desert  and  merit  of 
each  ? 

3.  The  punishment  of  the  soul  in  hell  must  needs,  to  be 
sure,  as  to  degree,  differ  fi-om  the  punishment  of  the  body 
there.  AVhen  I  say,  differ,  I  mean,  must  needs  be  greater, 
whether  the  body  be  punished  with  the  same  fire  with  the 
soul,  or  fire  of  another  nature.  If  it  be  punished  with  the 
same  fire,  yet  not  in  the  same  way ;  for  the  fire  of  guilt 
with  the  apprehensions  of  indignation  and  wrath  are  most 
properly  felt  and  apprehended  l)y  tlie  soul,  and  by  the  body 
by  virtue  of  its  union  with  the  soul  ;  and  so  felt  by  the 
body,  if  not  only,  yet  I  think  mostly,  by  way  of  sympathy 
with  the  soul  (and  the  cause,  we  say,  is  worse  than  the  dis- 
ease) ;  and  if  the  wrath  of  God,  and  the  apprehensions  of 


72  THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

it,  as  discharging  itself  for  sin  and  the  breach  of  the  law, 
he  that  with  which  the  soul  is  punished,  as  sure  it  is,  then 
the  hody  is  punished  by  the  effects,  or  by  those  influences 
that  the  soul  in  its  torments  has  upon  the  body,  by  virtue 
of  that  great  oneness  and  union  that  is  between  them. 

But  if  there  be  a  punishment  prepared  for  the  body  dis- 
tinct in  kind  from  that  which  is  prepared  for  the  soul,  yet 
it  must  be  a  punishment  inferior  to  that  which  is  prepared 
for  the  soul  (not  that  the  soul  and  body  shall  be  severed, 
but  being  made  of  things  distinct,  their  punishments  will  be 
by  that  which  is  most  suitable  to  each),  I  say,  it  must  be 
inferior,  because  nothing  can  be  so  hot,  so  tormenting,  so 
intolerably  insupportable,  as  the  quickest  apprehensions  of, 
and  the  immediate  sinking  under,  that  guilt  and  indigna- 
tion that  is  proportionable  to  the  offence.  Should  all  the 
wood,  and  brimstone,  and  combustible  matter  on  earth  be 
gathered  together  for  the  tormenting  of  one  body,  yet  that 
cannot  yield  that  torment  to  that  which  the  sense  of  guilt 
and  burning-hot  application  of  the  mighty  indignation  of 
God  will  do  to  the  soul ;  yea,  suppose  the  fire  wherewith 
the  body  is  tormented  in  hell  should  be  seven  times  hotter 
than  any  of  our  fires  ;  yea,  suppose  it  again  to  be  seven  times 
hotter  than  that  which  is  seven  times  hotter  than  ours,  yet 
it  must,  suppose  it  be  but  created  fire,  be  infinitely  short  (as 
to  tormenting  operations)  of  the  unspeakable  wrath  of  God, 
when  in  the  heat  thereof  he  applieth  it  to,  and  doth  punish, 
the  soul  for  sin  in  hell  therewith. 

So,  then,  whether  the  body  be  tormented  with  the  same 
fire  wherewith  the  soul  is  tormented,  or  whether  the  fire  be 
of  another  kind,  yet  it  is  not  possible  that  it  should  bear 
tlie  same  punishment  as  to  degree,  because,  or  for  the  causes 
that  I  have  shewed.  Nor  indeed  is  it  meet  it  should,  be- 
cause the  body  has  not  sinned  so,  so  grievously  as  the  soul 
has  done  ;  and  God  proportioneth  the  punishment  suitable 
to  the  offence. 

4.  With  the  soul  by  itself  arc  the  most  quick  and  suitable 
apprehensions  of  God  and  his  wrath  ;  wherefore  that  must 
needs  be  made  partaker  of  the  sorest  punishment  in  hell  ;  it 


UNSFEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  73 

is  the  soul  that  now  is  most  subtle  at  discerning,  and  it  is 
the  soul  that  will  be  so  ;  then  conscience,  memory,  under- 
standing, and  mind,  these  will  be  the  seat  of  torment,  since 
the  understanding  will  let  wrath  immediately  upon  these, 
from  what  it  apprehends  of  that  wrath  ;  conscience  will 
let  in  the  wrath  of  God  immediately  upon  these,  from 
what  it  fearfully  feels  of  that  wrath  ;  the  memory  will  then 
as  a  vessel  receive  and  retain  up  to  the  brim  of  this  wrath 
even  as  it  receiveth  by  the  understanding  and  conscience, 
the  cause  of  this  wrath,  and  considers  of  the  durableness  of 
it  ;  so  then  the  soul  is  the  seat  and  receiver  of  wrath,  even 
as  it  was  the  receiver  and  seat  of  sin  ;  here  then  is  sin  and 
^vl'atll  upon  the  soul,  the  soul  in  the  body,  and  so  soul  and 
body  tormented  in  hell-fire. 

5.  The  soul  will  be  most  tormented,  because  strongest ; 
the  biggest  burden  must  lie  upon  the  strongest  part,  espe- 
cially since  also  it  is  made  capable  of  it  by  its  sin.  The 
soul  must  bear  its  own  punishment,  and  a  great  part  of  the 
body's  too,  forasmuch  as  so  far  as  apprehension  goes,  the 
soul  will  be  quicker  at  that  work  than  the  body.  The  body 
will  have  its  punishment  to  lie  mostly  in  feeling,  but  the 
soul  in  feeling  and  apprehending  both.  True,  the  body  by 
the  help  of  the  soul  will  see  too,  but  the  soul  will  see  yet 
abundantly  further.  And  good  reason  that  the  soul  should 
bear  part  of  the  punishment  of  the  body,  because  it  was 
through  its  allurements  that  the  body  yielded  to  help  the 
soul  to  sin.  The  devil  presented  sin,  the  soul  took  it  by  the 
body,  and  noAv  devil,  and  soul,  and  body,  and  all  must  be 
lost,  cast  away — that  is,  damned  in  hell  for  sin  ;  but  the 
soul  must  be  the  burden-bearer. 

Object.  But  you  ma*  say,  Doth  not  this  give  encourage- 
ment to  sinners  to  give  way  to  the  body  to  be  in  all  its 
members  loose,  and  vain,  and  wicked,  as  instruments  to  sin  ? 

Aiisw.  No  ;  forasmuch  as  the  body  shall  also  have  his 
share  in  punishment.  For  though  I  have  said  the  soul 
shall  have  more  punishment  than  the  body,  yet  I  have  not 
said  that  the  body  shall  at  all  be  eased  by  that ;  no,  the 
body  will  have  its  due.     And  for  the  better  making  out  of 


74  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

my  answer  further,  consider  of  these  following  particu- 
lars— 

1.  The  hody  will  l)e  the  vessel  to  hold  a  tormented  soul 
in  ;  this  will  be  something  ;  therefore  man,  damned  man, 
is  called  a  vessel  of  wrath  (Rom,  ix.  22),  a  vessel,  and  that 
in  both  body  and  soul.  The  soul  receiveth  wrath  into  it- 
self, and  the  body  holdeth  that  soul  that  has  thus  received, 
and  is  tormented  wuth,  this  wrath  of  God.  Now  the  body 
being  a  vessel  to  hold  this  soul  that  is  thus  possessed  with 
the  \vrath  of  God,  must  needs  itself  be  afflicted  and  tor- 
mented with  that  torment,  because  of  its  union  with  the 
body  ;  therefore  the  Holy  Ghost  saith,  "  His  flesh  upon 
him  shall  have  pain,  and  his  soul  within  him  shall  mourn" 
(Job,  xiv.  22)  ;  both  shall  have  their  torment  and  misery, 
for  that  both  joined  hand  in  hand  in  sin,  the  soul  to  bring 
it  to  the  birth,  and  the  body  to  midwife  it  into  the  Avorld  ; 
therefore  it  saith  again,  with  reference  to  the  body,  "  Let 
the  curse  come  into  his  bowels  like  water,  and  like  oil  into 
his  bones,"  Ps.  cix.  17-19.  Let  it  be  to  him  as  a  garment 
which  covereth  him,  and  as  a  girdle,  &:c.  The  body,  then, 
will  be  tormented  as  well  as  the  soul,  by  being  a  vessel  to 
hold  that  soul  in  that  is  now  possessed  and  distressed  Avith 
the  unspeakable  wrath  and  indignation  of  the  Almighty 
God,  and  this  will  be  a  great  deal,  if  you  consider, 

2.  That  the  body  as  a  body  will  by  reason  of  its  union 
with  the  soul  be  as  sensible,  and  so  as  capable  in  its  kind, 
to  receive  correction  and  torment  as  ever,  nay,  I  think 
more  ;  for  if  the  quickness  of  the  soul  giveth  quickness  of 
sense  to  the  body,  as  in  some  case,  at  least,  I  am  apt  to 
think  it  doth,  then  forasmuch  as  the  soul  will  now  be  most 
quick,  most  sharp  in  apprehension,  so  the  liody  by  reason 
of  union  and  sympathy  with  the  soul  will  be  most  quick 
and  most  sharp  as  to  sense.  Indeed,  if  the  body  should  not 
receive  and  retain  sense,  yea,  all  its  senses,  by  reason  of  its 
being  a  vessel  to  hold  the  soul,  the  torment  of  the  soul  could 
not,  as  torment,  be  ministered  to  the  body,  no  more  than 
the  fire  tormented  the  king  of  Babylon's  furnace  (Dan.  iii.), 
or  than  the  king  of  ]\Ioab's  lime-kiln  was  afflicted  because 


CNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  TOE  LOSS  THEREOF.  75 

the  king  of  Elom's  bones  were  burnt  to  lime  therein,  Amos, 
ii.  1.  But  now  the  body  has  received  again  its  senses,  now 
therefore  it  must,  yea,  it  cannot  choose  but  must  feel  that 
wrath  of  God  that  is  let  out,  yea,  poured  out  like  floods  of 
water  into  the  soul. 

Remember  also,  that  besides  what  the  body  receiveth 
from  the  soul  by  reason  of  its  union  and  sympathy  there- 
with, there  is  a  punishment,  and  instruments  of  punish- 
ment, though  I  will  not  pretend  to  tell  you  exactly  what  it 
is,  prepared  for  the  body  for  its  joining  with  the  soul  in  sin, 
therewith  to  be  punished  ;  a  punishment,  I  say,  that  shall 
fall  immediately  upon  the  body,  and  that  such  an  one  as 
will  most  fitly  suit  with  the  nature  of  the  body,  as  wrath 
and  guilt  do  most  fitly  suit  the  nature  of  the  soul. 

3.  Add  to  these,  the  durable  condition  tliat  the  body  in 
this  state  is  now  in  with  the  souL  Time  was  when  the 
soul  died,  and  the  body  lived,  and  that  the  soul  was  tor- 
mented while  the  body  slept  and  rested  in  the  dust  ;  but 
now  these  things  are  past ;  for  at  the  day  of  judgment,  as  I 
said,  these  two  shall  be  re-united,  and  that  which  once  did 
separate  them  be  destroyed  ;  then  of  necessity  they  must 
abide  together,  and  as  together  abide  the  punishment  pre- 
pared for  them ;  and  this  will  greaten  the  torment  of  the 
body. 

Death  was  once  the  wages  of  sm,  and  a  grievous  curse  ; 
but  might  the  damned  meet  with  it  in  hell,  they  would 
count  it  a  mercy,  because  it  would  separate  soul  and  body, 
and  not  only  so,  but  take  away  all  sense  from  the  body, 
and  make  it  incapable  of  suffering  torment ;  yea,  I  will 
add,  and  by  that  means  give  the  soul  some  ease  ;  for  with- 
out doubt,  as  the  torments  of  the  soul  extend  themselves  to 
the  body,  so  the  torments  of  the  body  extend  themselves  to 
the  soul ;  nor  can  it  be  otherwise,  because  of  union  and 
emypathy.  But  death,  natural  death,  shall  be  destroyed, 
and  there  shall  be  no  more  natural  death,  no,  not  in  hell. 
And  now  it  shall  happen  to  men,  as  it  hath  done  in  less 
and  inferior  judgments,  1  Cor.  xv.  26.  "  They  shall  seek 
death,  and  desire  to  die,  and  death  shall  not  be  found  by 


76  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  A^iD 

them,"  Jer.  ix.  21,  Thus  tlierefoie  they  must  abide  together; 
death  that  used  to  separate  them  asunder  is  now  slain — 1. 
Because  it  was  an  enemy  in  keeping  Christ's  body  in  the 
grave  ;  and  2,  because  a  friend  to  carnal  men  in  that,  though 
it  was  a  punishment  in  itself,  yet  Avhile  it  lasted  and  had 
dominion  over  the  body  of  the  wicked,  it  hindered  them  of 
that  great  and  just  judgment  which  for  sin  was  due  unto 
them  ;  and  this  is  the  third  discovery  of  the  manner  and 
way  of  punishing  of  the  body.     But, 

4.  There  will  then  be  such  things  to  be  seen  and  heard, 
which  the  eye  and  the  ear  (to  say  no  more  than  has  been 
said  of  the  sense  of  feeling)  will  see  and  hear,  that  will 
greatly  aggravate  the  punishment  of  the  body  in  hell ;  for 
though  the  eye  is  the  window,  and  the  ear  a  door  for  the 
soul  to  look  out  at,  and  also  to  receive  in  by,  yet  whatever 
goeth  in  at  the  ear  or  the  eye  leaves  influence  upon  the 
body,  whether  it  be  that  which  the  soul  delighteth  in,  or 
that  which  the  soul  abhorreth  ;  for  as  the  eye  affecteth  the 
heart,  or  soul,  so  the  eye  and  ear,  by  hearing  and  beholding, 
both  ofttimes  afflict  the  body,  Lam.  iii.  51.  "  When  I 
heard,  my  belly  trembled,  rottenness  entered  into  my  bones," 
Hab.  iii.  16. 

Now,  I  say,  as  the  body  after  its  resurrection  (Dan.  xii, 
2  ;  John,  v.  29)  to  damnation,  to  everlasting  shame  and 
contempt,  will  receive  all  its  senses  again,  so  it  will  have 
matter  to  exercise  them  upon,  not  only  to  the  letting  into 
the  soul  those  aggravations  which  they  by  hearing,  feeling, 
and  seeing,  are  capable  to  let  in  thither,  but,  I  say,  they 
will  have  matter  and  things  to  exercise  themselves  upon 
for  the  helping  forward  of  the  torment  of  the  body.  Under 
temporal  judgments  of  old,  the  body  as  well  as  the  soul 
had  no  ease,  day  nor  night,  and  that  not  only  by  reason  of 
what  was  felt,  but  by  reason  of  what  was  heard  and  seen. 
"  In  the  morning  thou  shalt  say,  Would  God  it  were  even  ! 
and  at  even  thou  shalt  say.  Would  God  it  were  morning  !" 

1.  "  For  the  fear  of  thine  heart,  wherewith  thou  shalt  fear  ;" 

2,  "  and  for  the  sight  of  thine  eyes,  which  thou  shalt  see," 
Deut.  xxviii.  67 ;  v.  34.  Nay,  he  tells  them  a  little  before  that 


U^■SPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  77 

they  should  be  mad  for  the  sight  of  their  eyes  which  they 
should  see. 

See  !  why,  what  shall  they  see  ?  Why,  themselves  in 
hell,  with  others  like  them  ;  and  this  will  be  a  torment  to 
their  body.  There  is  bodily  torment,  as  I  said,  ministered 
to  the  body  by  the  senses  of  the  body.  What  think  you  ? 
If  a  man  saw  himself  in  prison,  in  irons,  upon  the  ladder, 
with  the  rope  about  his  neck,  would  not  this  be  distress  to 
the  body  as  well  as  to  the  mind  ?  To  the  body,  doubtless. 
Witness  the  heavy  looks,  the  shaking  legs,  trembling  knees, 
pale  face,  and  beating  and  aching  heart ;  how  much  more, 
then,  when  men  shall  see  themselves  in  the  most  dreadful 
place  (Luke,  xvi.  28)  ;  it  is  a  fearful  place,  doubtless,  to  all 
to  behold  themselves  in  that  shall  come  thither. 

Again  ;  they  shall  see  others  there,  and  shall  by  them 
see  themselves.  There  is  an  art  by  which  a  man  may  make 
his  neighbour  look  so  ghastly,  that  he  shall  fright  himself 
by  looking  on  him,  especially  when  he  thinks  of  himself, 
that  he  is  of  the  same  show  also.  It  is  said  concerning 
men  at  the  downfall  of  Babylon,  that  they  shall  be  amazed 
one  at  another,  "  for  their  faces  shall  be  as  flames,"  Isa. 
xiii.  8.  And  what  if  one  should  say,  that  even  as  it  is  with 
a  house  set  on  fire  within,  where  the  flame  ascends  out  at 
the  chimneys,  out  at  the  windows,  and  the  smoke  out  at 
every  chink  and  crevice  that  it  can  find,  so  it  will  be  with 
the  damned  in  hell.  That  soul  will  breathe  hell-fire  and 
smoke,  and  coals  will  seem  to  hang  upon  its  burning  lips  ; 
yea,  the  face,  eyes,  and  ears  will  seem  all  to  be  chimneys 
and  vents  for  the  flame  and  smoke  of  the  burning  which 
God  by  his  breath  hath  kindled  therein,  and  upon  them, 
which  will  be  beheld  one  in  another,  to  the  great  torment 
and  distress  of  each  other. 

What  shall  I  say  1  Here  will  be  seen  devils,  and  here 
will  be  heard  bowlings  and  mournings  ;  here  will  the  soul 
see  itself  at  an  infinite  distance  from  God  ;  yea,  the  body 
will  see  it  too.  In  a  word,  who  knows  the  power  of  God^s 
wrath,  the  weight  of  sin,  the  torments'  of  hell,  and  the 
length  of  eternity  ?     If  none,  then  none  can  tell,  when  they 


78  THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

liave  said  what  they  can,  the  intolerahleness  of  the  torments 
tliat  Avill  swallow  up  the  soul,  the  lost  soul,  when  it  is  cast 
away  by  God,  and  from  him,  into  outer  darkness  for  sin. 
But  thus  much  for  the  cause  of  the  loss  of  the  soul. 

I  now  come  to  the  second  doctrine  that  I  gathered  from 
the  words — namely,  that  how  unconcerned  and  careless 
soever  some  now  be  about  the  loss  or  salvation  of  their 
souls,  the  day  is  coming  (but  it  will  then  be  too  late)  when 
men  will  be  willing,  had  they  never  so  much,  to  eive  it  all 
in  exchange  for  their  souls. 

There  are  four  things  in  the  words  that  do  prove  this 
doctrine — 

1.  There  is  an  intimation  of  life  and  sense  in  the  man 
that  has  lost,  and  that  after  he  has  lost,  his  soul  in  hell — 
"■  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?" 
These  words  are  by  no  means  applicable  to  the  man  that 
has  no  life  or  sense  ;  for  he  that  is  dead  according  to  our 
common  acceptation  of  death,  that  is  deprived  of  life  and 
sense,  would  not  give  twopence  to  change  his  state  ;  there- 
fore the  words  do  intimate  that  the  man  is  yet  alive  and 
sensible.  Now  were  a  man  alive  and  sensible,  though  he 
was  in  none  other  place  than  the  grave,  there  to  be  con- 
fined, while  others  are  at  liberty,  what  would  he  give  in 
exchange  for  his  place,  and  to  be  rid  of  that  for  a  better  ! 
but  how  much  more  to  be  delivered  from  hell,  the  present 
place  and  state  of  his  soul ! 

2.  There  is  in  the  text  an  intimation  of  a  sense  of  tor- 
ment— "  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
soul  1  I  am  tormented  in  this  flame."  Torment,  then,  the 
soul  is  sensible  of,  and  that  there  is  a  place  of  ease  and 
peace.  And  from  the  sense  and  feeling  of  torment,  he 
would  give,  yea,  what  would  he  not  give,  in  exchange  for 
his  soul  ? 

3.  There  is  in  the  text  an  intimation  of  the  intolerahle- 
ness of  the  torment,  because  that  it  supposeth  that  the  man 
whose  soul  is  swallowed  up  therewith  would  give  all,  were 
his  all  never  so  great,  in  exchange  for  his  soul. 

4.  There  is  yet  in  the  text  an  intimation  that  the  soul  is 


UxNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  TUEREOF.  79 

sensible  of  the  lastingness  of  the  punishment,  or  else  the 
question  rather  argues  a  man  unwary  than  considerate  in 
his  offering-,  as  is  supposed  by  Christ,  so  largely  his  all  in 
exchange  for  his  soul. 

But  we  will  in  this  manner  proceed  no  further,  but  take 
it  for  ;^anted  that  the  doctrine  is  good  ;  wherefore  I  shall 
next  inquire  after  what  is  contained  in  this  truth.  And, 
first,  that  Grod  has  undertaken,  and  will  accomplish,  the 
breaking  of  the  spirits  of  all  the  world,  either  by  his  grace 
and  mercy  to  salvation,  or  by  his  justice  and  severity  to 
damnation. 

The  damned  soul  under  consideration  is  certainly  sup- 
posed, as  by  the  doctrine,  so  by  the  text,  to  be  utterly  care- 
less, and  without  regard  of  salvation,  so  long  as  the  accept- 
able time  did  last,  and  as  the  white  flag  that  signifies  terms 
of  peace  did  hang  out ;  and  therefore  it  is  said  to  be  lost ; 
but,  behold,  now  it  is  careful,  but  now  it  is  solicitous,  but 
now,  "  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?" 
He  of  whom  you  read  in  the  gospel,  that  could  mind  to  do 
nothing  in  the  days  of  the  gospel  but  to  find  out  how  to  be 
clothed  in  purple  and  fine  linen,  and  to  fare  sumptuously 
every  day,  was  by  God  brought  so  down,  and  laid  so  low 
at  last,  that  he  could  crouch,  and  cringe,  and  beg  for  one 
small  drop  of  water  to  cool  his  tongue  (Luke,  xvi.  19,  24) ; 
a  thing  that  but  a  little  before  he  would  have  thought  scorn 
to  have  done,  when  he  also  thought  scorn  to  stoop  to  the 
grace  and  mercy  of  the  gospeL  But  God  was  resolved  to 
break  his  spirit,  and  the  pride  of  his  heart,  and  to  humble 
his  lofty  looks,  if  not  by  his  mercy,  yet  by  his  justice  ;  if 
not  by  his  grace,  yet  by  hell-fire. 

This  he  also  threatens  to  bring  upon  the  fool  in  the  Pro- 
verbs— "  They  shall  call,  they  shall  seek,  they  shall  cry," 
Prov.  I  22-32  ;  Zecli.  vii.  11-13.  Who  shall  do  so  1  The 
answer  is.  They  that  sometimes  scorned  either  to  seek,  or 
call,  or  cry  ;  they  that  stopped  their  ears,  that  pulled  away 
their  shoulders,  and  that  refused  to  seek,  or  call,  or  cry  to 
Ood  for  mercy. 

Sinner,  careless  sinner,  didst  thou  take  notice  of  this  first 


80  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

inference  that  I  have  drawn  from  my  second  doctrine  ?  If 
thou  didst,  yet  read  it  again  ;  it  is  this,  "  God  has  under- 
taken, and  will  accomplish,  the  breaking  of  the  spirits  of 
all  the  world,  either  by  his  grace  and  mercy  unto  salvation, 
or  by  his  justice  and  severity  to  damnation." 

The  reason  for  this  is  this  :  God  is  resolved  to  have  the 
mastery,  he  is  resolved  to  have  the  victory.  "  Who  will  set 
the  briers  and  thorns  against  me  in  battle,  I  will  go  through 
them  and  burn  them  together,"  Isa.  xxvii.  4.  I  will  march 
against  them.  God  is  merciful,  and  is  come  forth  into  the 
world  by  his  Son,  tendering  of  grace  unto  sinners  b}^  the 
gospel,  and  would  willingly  make  a  conquest  over  them  for 
their  good  by  his  mercy.  Now  he  being  come  out,  sinners 
like  briers  and  thorns  do  set  themselves  against  him,  and 
will  have  none  of  his  mercy.  Well,  but  what  says  God  ? 
Saith  he,  "  Then  I  will  march  on."  I  will  go  through  them, 
and  burn  them  together.  I  am  resolved  to  have  the  mas- 
tery one  way  or  another  ;  if  they  will  not  bend  to  me,  and 
accept  of  my  mercy  in  the  gospel,  I  will  bend  them  and 
break  them  by  my  justice  in  hell-fire.  They  say  they  will 
not  bend  ;  I  say  they  shall  ;  now  they  shall  know  "  whose 
word  shall  stand,  mine  or  theirs,"  Jer.  xliv.  25-28.  Where- 
fore the  apostle,  ^^  hen  he  saw  that  some  of  the  Corinthians 
began  to  be  unruly,  and  to  do  those  things  that  did  begin 
to  hazard  them,  saith,  "Do  ye  provoke  the  Lord  to  jealousy  ? 
are  ye  stronger  than  he  ?"  (1  Cor.  x.  20-22) ;  as  who  should 
say.  My  brethren,  are  you  aware  what  you  do  1  do  you  not 
understand  that  God  is  resolved  to  have  the  mastery  one  way 
or  another  ?  and  are  you  stronger  than  he  ?  If  not,  tremble 
before  him,  or  he  will  certainly  have  you  under  his  feet — 
"  I  will  tread  them  in  mine  anger,  and  trample  them  in  my 
fury,"  Isa.  Ixiii.  3.  Thus  he  speaks  of  them  that  set  them- 
selves against  him  ;  therefore  beware.  Now  the  reason  of 
this  resolution  of  God,  it  flows  from  a  determination  in  him 
to  make  all  his  sayings  good,  and  to  verify  them  on  the 
consciences  of  sinners.  And  since  the  incredulous  world  will 
not  believe  now,  and  fly  from  wrath,  they  shall  shortly 
believe  and  cry  imder  it ;  since  they  will  not  now  credit  the 


AND  UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  81 

word  before  they  see  unto  salvation,  they  shall  be  made  to 
credit  it  by  sense  and  feeling  unto  damnation. 

The  second  inference  that  I  draw  from  my  second  doc- 
trine is  this  :  "  That  it  is,  and  will  be  the  lot  of  some  to  bow 
and  break  before  God  too  late,  or  when  it  is  too  late." 

God  is  resolved,  as  I  said,  to  have  the  mastery,  and  that 
not  only  in  a  way  of  dominion  and  lordship  in  general  (for 
that  he  has  now),  but  he  is  resolved  to  master — that  is,  to 
break  the  spirit  of  the  world,  to  make  all  men  cringe  and 
crouch  unto  him,  even  those  that  now  say  "  There  is  no 
God  ;"  or,  if  there  be,  yet  "  What  is  the  Almighty,  that  we 
should  serve  him  1"  Ps.  xiv.  1 ;  Job,  xxi.  15;  Mai.  iii.  14. 

This  is  little  thought  of  by  those  that  now  harden  their 
hearts  in  wickedness,  and  that  turn  their  spirit  against  God ; 
but  this  they  shall  think  of,  this  they  must  think  of,  this 
God  will  make  them  think  of,  in  that  day  (2  Pet.  iii.  1-4), 
at  which  day  they  also  now  do  mock  and  deride,  that  the 
scripture  might  be  fulfilled  upon  them.  And,  I  say,  they 
shall  think  then  of  those  things,  and  break  at  heart,  and 
melt  under  the  hand,  and  power,  and  majesty  of  the  Al- 
mighty ;  for  "  As  I  live,"  saitli  God,  "  every  knee  shall  bow 
to  me  ;  every  tongue  shall  confess  to  God,"  Isa.  xlv.  23  ; 
Rom.  xiv.  10-12.  And  again,  "  The  nations  shall  see,  and 
be  confounded  at  all  their  might ;  they  shall  lay  their  hand 
upon  their  mouth,  their  ears  shall  be  deaf ;  they  shall  lick 
the  dust  like  a  serpent,  they  shall  move  out  of  their  holes 
like  worms,  or  creeping  things  of  the  earth  ;  they  shall  be 
afraid  of  the  Lord  our  God,  and  shall  fear  because  of  thee," 
Micah,  vii.  16,  17. 

For  then  they,  will  they,  nill  they,  shall  have  to  do  with 
God,  though  not  with  him  as  merciful,  or  as  one  that  may 
be  entreated  ;  yet  with  him  as  just,  and  as  devouring  fire  ; 
yea,  they  shall  see  that  face,  and  hear  that  voice,  from 
whom  and  from  which  the  heavens  and  the  earth  shall  fly 
away,  and  find  no  place  of  stay,  Heb.  xii.  last  verse.  And 
by  this  appearance,  and  by  such  Avords  of  his  mouth  as  he 
then  will  speak  to  them,  they  shall  begin  to  tremble,  and 
call  for  the  rocks  to  fall  upon  them  and  cover  them  ;  for 

VOL.  II.  F 


82  THE  GREATNESS  OF  TUE  SOUL,  AND 

if  these  things  will  happen  at  the  execution  of  inferior 
judgments,  what  will  be  done,  what  effects  will  the  last, 
most  dreadful,  and  eternal  judgment  have  upon  men's  souls? 

Hence  you  find  that  at  the  very  first  appearance  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  whole  world  begins  to  mourn  and  lament — "  Every 
eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  that  pierced  him  :  and  all 
kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him,"  Rev.  i.  7. 
And  therefore  you  also  find  them  to  stand  at  the  door  and 
knock,  saying,  "  Lord,  Lord,  open  unto  us,"  Luke,  xiii.  25, 
26 ;  Matt.  xxv.  Moreover,  you  find  them  also  desiring,  yea, 
also  so  humble  in  their  desires  as  to  be  content  with  the 
least  degree  of  mercy — one  drop,  one  drop  upon  the  tip  of 
one's  finger.  What  stooping,  what  condescension,  what 
humility  is  here !  All  and  every  one  of  those  passages 
declare  that  the  hand  of  God  is  upon  them,  and  that  the 
Almighty  has  got  the  mastery  of  them,  has  conquered  them, 
broken  the  pride  of  their  power,  and  laid  them  low,  and 
made  them  cringe  and  crouch  unto  him,  bending  the  knee, 
and  craving  of  kindness. 

Thus,  then,  will  God  bow,  and  bend,  and  break  them  ; 
yea,  make  them  bow,  and  bend,  and  break  before  him. 
And  hence  also  it  is  that  they  will  weep,  and  mourn,  and 
gnash  their  teeth,  and  cry,  and  repent  that  ever  they  have 
been  so  foolish,  so  wicked,  so  traitorous  to  their  souls,  and 
such  enemies  of  their  own  eternal  happiness,  as  to  stand 
out  in  the  day  of  their  visitation  in  a  way  of  rebellion 
against  the  Lord. 

But  here  is  their  hard  hap,  their  dismal  lot  and  portion, 
that  all  these  things  must  be  when  it  is  too  late.  It  is, 
and  will  be,  the  lot  and  hap  of  these  to  bow,  bend,  and 
break  too  late,  JVIatt.  xxv. 

You  read,  they  come  weeping  and  mourning,  and  with 
tears  ;  they  knock  and  cry  for  mercy  ;  but  what  did  tears 
avail  ?  Why,  nothing ;  for  the  door  was  shut.  He  answered 
and  said,  "  I  know  you  not  whence  you  are,"  Luke  xiii. 
26-28.  But  they  repeat  and  renew  their  suit,  saying,  "  We 
have  eat  and  drank  in  thy  presence,  and  thou  hast  taught 
in  our  streets."    What  now  ?     Why,  he  returns  upon  them 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  TllEKEOF.  83 

his  first  answer  the  second  time,  sayine^,  "  I  tell  you,  I 
know  you  not  whence  you  are ;  depart  from  me,  all  ye 
workers  of  iniquity;"  then  he  concludes,  "  There  shall  be 
weeping  and  gnashing-  of  teeth,  when  you  shall  see  Abra- 
ham, and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  yourselves  thrust  out."  They  come 
weeping,  and  go  weeping  away.  They  come  to  him  weep- 
ing, for  they  saw  that  he  had  conquered  them  ;  but  they 
departed  weeping,  for  they  saw  that  he  would  damn  them ; 
yet,  as  we  read  in  another  place,  they  were  very  loath  to 
go  from  him,  by  their  reasoning  and  expostulating  with 
him — "  Lord,  when  saw  we  thee  an  hungered,  or  thirsty, 
or  a  stranger,  or  naked,  or  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  did  not 
minister  unto  thee  ?"  But  all  would  not  do  ;  here  is  no 
place  for  change  of  mind, — "  These  shall  go  away  into  ever- 
lasting punishment ;  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal." 
And  now  what  would  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ? 
So  that,  as  I  said  before,  all  is  too  late ;  they  mourn  too  late, 
they  repent  too  late,  they  pray  too  Ut3,  and  seek  to  make 
an  exchange  for  their  soul  too  late. 

"  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  V 
Two  or  three  things  there  may  yet  be  gathered  from  these 
words  ;  I  mean,  as  to  the  desires  of  them  that  have  lost 
their  souls,  to  make  for  them  an  exchange  :  "  What  shall 
a  man  give  in  exchange  ?" — w4iat  shall,  what  would,  yea, 
wdiat  would  not  a  man,  if  he  had  it,  give  in  exchange  for 
his  soul  ? 

1.  What  would  not  a  man — I  mean,  a  man  in  the  con- 
dition that  is  by  the  text  supposed  some  men  are  and  will 
be  in — give  in  exchange  to  have  another  man's  virtues  in- 
stead of  his  own  vices  ?  "  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the 
righteous  ;"  let  my  soul  be  in  the  state  of  the  soul  of  the 
righteous — that  is,  with  reference  to  his  virtues,  when  I 
die,  "  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his,"  Num.  xxiii,  10.  It 
is  a  sport  now  to  some  to  taunt,  and  squib,  and  deride  at 
other  men's  virtues ;  but  the  day  is  coming  when  their 
minds  will  be  changed,  and  when  they  shall  be  made  to 
count  those  that  have  done  those  righteous  actions  and 


84  THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

duties  which  they  have  scoffed  at,  the  only  ])lessed  men  ; 
yea,  they  shall  wish  their  soul  in  the  blessed  possession  of 
those  graces  and  virtues  that  those  whom  they  hated  were 
accompanied  with,  and  would,  if  they  had  it,  give  a  whole 
world  for  this  change  ;  hut  it  will  not  now  do,  it  is  now 
too  late.  What  then  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
soul  ?  And  this  is  more  than  intimated  in  that  tAventy- 
fifth  of  jMatthew  named  before  ;  for  you  find  by  that  text 
how  loath  they  were,  or  will  be,  to  be  counted  for  unright- 
eous people — "  Lord,"  say  they,  "  when  did  we  see  thee  an 
hungered,  or  athirst,  naked,  or  sick,  and  did  not  minister 
unto  thee '?"  Now  they  are  not  willing  to  be  of  the  number 
of  the  wicked,  though  heretofore  the  ways  of  the  righteous 
were  an  abomination  to  them.  But,  alas!  they  are  before 
a  just  God,  a  just  judge,  a  judge  that  will  give  every  one 
according  to  his  ways  ;  therefore,  "  Woe  to  the  soul  of  the 
wicked  now,"  Isa.  iii.  11.  It  shall  go  ill  with  him,  for 
the  reward  of  his  hands  shall  be  given  him.  Thus,  there- 
fore, he  is  locked  up  as  to  this  ;  he  cannot  now  change  his 
vices  for  virtues,  nor  put  himself  nor  his  soul  in  the  stead 
of  the  soul  of  the  saved  ;  so  that  it  still  and  will  for  ever 
abide  a  question  unresolved,  "  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in 
exchange  for  his  soul  V  I  do  not  doubt  but  that  a  man's 
state  may  be  such  in  this  world,  that  if  he  had  it  he  would 
give  thousands  of  gold  to  be  as  innocent  and  guiltless  in 
the  judgment  of  the  law  of  the  land  as  is  the  state  of  such 
or  such,  heartily  wishing  that  himself  was  not  that  he  is  ; 
how  much  more  then  will  men  wish  thus  when  they  stand 
ready  to  receive  the  last,  their  eternal  judgment.  "  But 
what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  ?" 

2.  As  they  would  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls  be  glad 
to  change  away  their  vices  for  the  virtues,  their  sins  for  the 
good  deeds,  of  others,  so  what  would  they  not  give  to  change 
places  now,  or  to  remove  from  where  now  they  are,  into 
paradise,  into  Abraham's  bosom  ? 

But  neither  shall  this  be  admitted  ;  the  righteous  must 
have  their  inheritance  to  themselves — "  Neither,"  said  Abra- 
ham, "  can  they  pass  to  us,  that  would  come  from  thence" 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  86 

(Luke,  xvi.   26);  neither  can  they  dwell  in  heaven  that 
would  come  from  hell. 

They  then  that  have  lost,  or  shall  lose,  their  souls,  are 
bound^to  their  place,  as  well  as  to  their  sins.  When  Judas 
went  to  hell,  he  went  to  his  home,  to  his  own  place  (Acts, 
i.  25);  and  when  the  righteous  go  hence,  they  also  go  home 
to  their  house,  to  their  own  place  ;  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  prepared  for  them.  Matt.  xxv.  34.  Between 
heaven  and  hell,  "there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed"  (Luke  xii. 
32);  that  is,  a  strong  passage  ;  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed. 

What  this  gulf  is,  and  how  impassable,  they  that  shall 
lose  their  souls  will  know  to  their  woe  ;  because  it  is  fixed 
there  where  it  is  on  purpose  to  keep  them  in  their  torment- 
ing place,  so  that  they  that  would  pass  from  hell  to  heaven 
cannot.  But  I  say,  '•'  Would  they  not  change  places  1 
would  they  not  have  a  more  comfortable  house  and  home 
for  their  souls  1"  Yes,  verily,  the  text  supposes  it,  and  the 
16th  of  Luke  affirms  it  ;  yea,  and  could  they  purchase  for 
their  soul  a  habitation  among  the  righteous,  would  they 
not  1  Yes,  they  would  give  all  the  world  for  such  a  change. 
What  shall,  what  shall  not  a  man,  if  he  had  it,  if  it  would 
answer  his  design,  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul  1 

3.  As  the  damned  would  change  their  own  vices  for 
virtues,  and  the  place  where  they  are  for  that  into  which 
they  shall  not  come,  so  what  would  they  give  for  a  change 
of  condition  1  Yea,  if  an  absolute  change  may  not  be  ob- 
tained, yet  what  would  they  give  for  the  least  degree  of 
mitigation  of  that  torment  which  now  they  know  will 
without  any  intermission  be,  and  that  for  ever  and  ever  ] 
"  Tribulation  and  anguish,  indignation  and  wrath"  (Rom. 
ii.  8,  9  ;  2  Thess.  i.  7-10);  the  gnawing  worm,  and  ever- 
lasting destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from 
the  glory  of  his  power,  cannot  be  borne  but  with  great 
horror  and  grief ;  no  marvel  then  if  these  poor  creatures 
would  for  ease  for  their  souls  be  glad  to  change  their  con- 
ditions. Change  !— with  whom1  with  an  angel,  with  a 
saint ;  ay,  with  a  dog  or  a  toad  ;  for  they  mourn  not,  they 
weep  not,  nor  do  they  bear  indignation  of  wrath  ;  they  are 


86  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

as  if  they  had  not  been  ;  only  the  sinful  soul  abides  in  its 
sins,  in  the  place  designed  for  lost  souls,  and  in  the  condition 
that  wrath  and  indignation  for  sin  and  transgression  hath 
decreed  them  to  abide  for  ever.  And  this  brings  me  to  the 
conclusion,  which  is,  "  that  seeing  the  ungodly  do  seek 
good  things  too  late,"  therefore,  notwithstanding  their  seek- 
ing, they  must  -still  abide  in  their  place,  their  sins,  and  their 
tonnent — "  For  what  can  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 
soul  1"  Therefore  God  saith,  that  they  there  must  still 
abide  and  dwell,  no  exchange  can  be  made,  Isaiah  1,  11. 
Ezek.  xxxii.  25,  27,  "  This  shall  they  have  of  mine  hand, 
they  shall  lie  down  in  sorrow;"  they  shall  lie  down  in  it, 
they  shall  make  their  bed  there,  there  they  shall  lie.  And 
this  is  the  bitter  pill  that  they  must  swallow  down  at  last ; 
for  after  all  their  tears,  their  sorrows,  their  mournings, 
their  repentings,  their  wishings  and  wouldings,  and  all  their 
inventings  and  desires  to  change  their  state  for  a  better, 
they  must  lie  doAvn  in  sorrow.  The  poor  condemned  man 
that  is  upon  the  ladder  or  scaffold  has,  if  one  knew  them, 
many  a  long  wish  and  long  desire  that  he  might  come 
down  again  alive,  or  that  his  condition  was  as  one  of  the 
spectators  that  are  not  condemned  and  brought  thither  to  be 
executed  as  he.  How  carefully  also  doth  he  look  with  his 
failing  eyes,  to  see  if  some  comes  not  fi"om  the  king  with  a 
pardon  for  him,  all  the  while  endeavouring  to  fumble  away 
as  well  as  he  can,  and  to  prolong  the  minute  of  his  execu- 
tion. But  at  last,  when  he  has  looked,  when  he  has 
wished,  when  he  has  desired,  and  done  whatever  he  can, 
the  blow  with  the  axe,  or  turn  with  the  ladder,  is  his  lot, 
so  he  goes  off  the  scaffold,  so  he  goes  from  among  men  ; 
and  thus  it  will  be  with  those  that  we  have  under  conside- 
ration ;  when  all  comes  to  all,  and  they  have  said,  and 
wished,  and  done  what  they  can,  the  judgment  must  not 
be  reversed — they  must  lie  down  in  sorrow. 

They  must,  or  shall  lie  do^^^l.  Of  old,  when  a  man  was 
to  be  chastised  for  his  fault,  he  was  to  lie  do^^m  to  receive 
his  stripes  ;  so  here,  saith  the  Lord,  they  shall  lie  down — 
"  And  it  sliall  be,  if  the  wicked  man  be  worthy  to  be  beaten, 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  87 

the  judge  shall  cause  him  to  lie  down,  and  to  be  beaten  be- 
fore his  face,"  Deut.  xxv.  2.  And  this  lying  down  was  to 
1)?  his  lot  after  he  had  pleaded  for  himself  what  he  could — 
and  the  judge  shall  cause  him  to  be  beaten  before  his  face, 
while  he  is  present  to  behold  the  execution  of  judgment ; 
and  thus  it  shall  be  at  the  end  of  the  world  ;  the  wicked 
shall  lie  down  and  shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes  in  the 
presence  of  Christ,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  holy  angels, 
2  Thess  i ;  Rev.  xiv.  10.  .For  there  will  be  his  presence, 
not  only  at  the  trial  as  judge,  but  to  see  execution  done, 
nay,  to  do  it  himself  by  the  pouring  out,  like  a  river,  his 
wrath  as  burning  brimstone  upon  the  soul  of  the  lost  and 
cast-away  sinner. 

He  shall  lie  down.  These  words  imply  that  at  last  the 
damned  soul  shall  submit ;  for  to  lie  down  is  an  act  that 
signifies  submission,  especially  to  lie  down  to  be  beaten.  The 
wicked  shall  be  silent  in  darkness.  When  the  malefactor 
has  said  and  wished  all  that  he  can,  yet  at  last  he  submits, 
is  silent,  and,  as  it  were,  helps  to  put  his  head  into  the  halter, 
or  doth  lay  down  his  neck  upon  the  block,  1  Sam.  ii.  9.  So 
here  it  is  said  of  the  damned — "  They  shall  lie  down  in 
sorrow."  There  is  also  a  place  that  saith,  "  These  shall  go 
away  into  everlasting  punishment,"  Matt.  xxv.  46.  To  go,  to 
go  to  punishment  is  also  an  act  of  submission.  Nov/  sub- 
mission to  punishment  doth,  or  should,  flow  from  full  con- 
viction of  the  merit  of  punishment ;  and  I  think  it  is  so  to 
be  understood  here — "  For  every  mouth  shall  be  stopped, 
and  all  the  world  (of  soul-losers)  become  guilty  before 
God,"  Romans,  iii.  4,  19  ;  Luke,  xiii.  25-28  ;  INIatthew, 
xxv.  44.  Every  mouth  shall  be  stopped,  not  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  judgment,  for  then  they  plead,  and  pray, 
and  also  object  against  the  judge  ;  but  at  the  end,  after 
that  by  a  judicial  proceeding  he  shall  have  justified  against 
them  his  sayings,  and  have  overcome  these  his  judges,  then 
they  shall  submit,  and  also  lie  down  in  sorrow  ;  yea,  they 
shall  go  away  to  their  punishment  as  those  who  know  they 
deserve  it ;  yea,  they  shall  go  away  with  silence.     Now, 

How  they  shall  behave  themselves  in  hell,  I  will  not 


88  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

here  dispute  ;  whether  in  a  way  of  rage  and  hlaspheiny, 
and  in  rending  and  tearing  of  the  name  and  just  actions  of 
God  towards  them,  or  Avhether  hy  Avay  of  submission  there  ; 
I  say,  though  this  is  none  of  this  task,  yet  a  word  or  two, 
if  you  please. 

Doubtless  they  will  not  be  mute  there  ;  they  will  cry, 
and  wail,  and  gnash  their  teeth,  and  perhaps  too  sometimes 
at  God  ;  but  I  do  not  think  but  that  the  justice  they  have 
deserved,  and  the  equal  administration  of  it  upon  them, 
will  for  the  most  part  prevail  with  them  to  rend  and  tear 
themselves,  to  acquit  and  justify  God,  and  to  add  fuel  to 
their  fire  by  concluding  themselves  in  all  the  fault,  and 
that  they  have  sufficiently  merited  this  just  damnation  ; 
for  it  would  seem  strange  to  me  that  just  judgment  among 
men  shall  terminate  in  this  issue,  if  God  should  not  justify 
himself  in  the  conscience  of  all  the  damned.  But  as  here 
on  earth,  so  he  will  let  them  know  that  go  to  hell  that  he 
liath  not  done  without  a  cause,  a  sufficient  cause,  all  that 
he  hath  done  in  damning  of  them,  Ezek.  xiv.  23. 

I  come  now  to  make  some  use  and  application  of  the 
whole.     And, 

1.  If  the  soul  be  so  excellent  a  thing  as  we  have  made  it 
appear  to  be,  and  if  the  loss  thereof  be  so  great  a  loss,  then 
here  you  may  see  who  they  are  that  are  those  extravagant 
ones  ;  I  mean,  those  that  are  such  in  the  highest  degree. 
Solomon  tells  us  of  a  great  waster,  and  saith  also,  that  he 
that  is  slothful  in  his  business  "  is  brother  to  such  an  one," 
Prov.  xviii.  9.  Who  Solomon  had  his  eye  upon,  or  who  it 
was  that  he  counted  so  great  a  waster,  I  cannot  tell ;  but 
I  will  challenge  all  the  world  to  shew  me  one  for  wasting 
and  destroying  may  be  compared  to  him  that  for  the  lusts 
and  pleasures  of  this  life  will  hazard  the  loss  of  his  soul. 
JMany  men  will  be  so  profuse,  and  will  spend  at  that  pro- 
digal rate,  that  they  will  bring  a  thousand  pounds  a  year 
to  five  hundred,  and  five  hundred  to  fifty,  and  some  also 
will  bring  that  fifty  to  less  than  ninepence  ;  but  what  is 
this  to  him  that  shall  never  leave  losing  until  he  has  lost 
his  soul  ?     I  have  heard  of  some  who  would  throw  away  a 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  89 

farm,  a  good  estate,  upon  the  trundling  of  one  single  bowl ; 
but  what  is  this  to  the  casting  a\vay  the  soul  1  I  say, 
what  is  this  to  the  loss  of  the  soul,  and  that  for  less  than 
the  trundling  of  a  bowl  1  Nothing  can  for  badness  be 
compared  to  sin  ;  it  is  the  vile  thing,  it  cannot  have  a  worse 
name  than  its  own  ;  it  is  worse  than  the  vilest  man,  than 
the  vilest  of  beasts  ;  yea,  sin  is  worse  than  the  devil  him- 
self, for  it  is  sin,  and  sin  only,  that  hath  made  the  devils 
devils  ;  and  yet  for  this,  for  this  vile,  this  abominable 
thing,  some  men,  yea,  most  men,  will  venture  the  loss  of 
their  soul ;  yea,  they  will  mortgage,  pawn,  and  set  their 
souls  to  sale  for  it,  Jer.  xliv.  4.  Is  not  this  a  great  waster  ? 
doth  not  this  man  deserve  to  be  ranked  among  the  extra- 
vagant ones  1  What  think  you  of  him  wdio  when  he 
tempted  the  wench  to  uncleanness  said  to  her,  "  If  thou 
wilt  venture  thy  body,  I  will  venture  my  soul  V  Was 
not  here  like  to  be  a  fine  bargain,  think  you  ?  or  was  not 
this  man  like  to  be  a  gainer  by  so  doing  1  This  is  he  that 
prizes  sin  at  a  higher  rate  than  he  doth  his  immortal  soul ; 
yea,  tliis  is  he  that  esteems  a  quarter  of  an  hour's  pleasure 
more  than  he  fears  everlasting  damnation.  What  shall  I 
say  ?  This  man  is  minded  to  give  more  to  be  damned,  than 
God  requires  he  should  give  to  be  saved  ;  is  not  this  an  ex- 
travagant one  ?  "  Be  astonished,  0  ye  heavens  !  at  this, 
and  be  ye  horribly  afraid  !"  Jer.  ii.  9 — 12.  Yea,  let  all  the 
angels  stand  amazed  at  the  unaccountable  prodigality  of 
such  an  one. 

Object.  1.  But  some  may  say,  I  cannot  believe  that 
God  will  be  so  severe  as  to  cast  away  into  hell-fire  an  im- 
mortal soul  for  a  little  sin. 

Ansio. — I  know  thou  canst  not  believe  it,  for  if  thou 
couldst,  thou  wouldst  sooner  eat  fire  than  run  this  hazard  ; 
and  hence  all  they  that  go  down  to  the  lake  of  fire  are 
called  the  unbelievers  ;  and  the  Lord  shall  cut  thee  (that 
makest  this  objection)  asunder,  and  shall  appoint  thee  thy 
portion  w^ith  such,  except  thou  believe  the  gospel,  and  re- 
pent, Luke,  xii,  46. 

Object.  2.  But  surely,  though  God  should  be  so  angry 


90  THE  CmEATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

at  the  beginning,  it  cannot  in  time  but  grieve  him  to  see 
and  liear  souls  roaring  in  hell,  and  that  for  a  little  sin. 

Answ. — Whatsoever  God  doth,  it  abideth  for  ever, 
(Eccles.  iii.  14)  ;  he  doth  nothing  in  a  passion,  or  in  an 
angry  fit ;  he  proceedeth  with  sinners  by  the  most  perfect 
rules  of  justice  ;  wherefore  it  would  be  injustice  to  deliver 
them  whom  the  law  condemneth,  3'ea,  he  would  falsify  his 
word,  if  after  a  time  he  should  deliver  them  ft-om  hell,  con- 
cerning whom  he  hath  solemnly  testified  that  they  shall 
be  there  for  ever. 

Object.  3.  0  but,  as  he  is  just,  so  he  is  merciful  ;  and 
mercy  is  pitiful,  and  very  compassionate  to  the  afiiicted. 

Answ. — 0  but  mercy  abused  becomes  most  fearful  in 
tormenting.  Did  you  never  read  that  the  Lamb  turned 
lion,  and  that  the  world  will  tremble  at  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb,  and  be  afiiicted  more  at  the  thoughts  of  that  than 
at  the  thoughts  of  anything  that  shall  happen  to  them  in 
the  day  when  God  shall  call  them  to  an  account  for  their 
sins.  Rev.  vi.  16,  17. 

The  time  of  mercy  will  be  then  past,  for  now  is  that  -ac- 
ceptable time,  behold  now  is  the  day  of  salvation ;  the 
gate  of  mercy  will  then  ])e  shut,  and  must  not  be  opened 
again  ;  for  now  is  that  gate  open,  now  it  is  open  for  a  door 
of  hope,  2  Cor.  vi.  2  ;  Matt,  xxv,  10  ;  Luke,  xiii.  25. 

The  time  of  shewing  pity  and  compassion  will  then  be 
at  an  end  ;  for  that  as  to  acting  towards  sinners  will  last 
but  till  the  glass  of  the  world  is  run,  and  when  that  day 
is  past,  mark  what  God  saith  shall  follow,  "  I  will  laugh 
at  your  calamity,  I  will  mock  when  your  fear  coineth  ; 
when  your  fear  cometh  as  desolation,  and  your  destruction 
cometh  like  a  whirlwind  ;  when  distress  and  anguish  com- 
eth upon  you,"  Prov.  i.  26,  27. 

Mark  you  how  many  pinching  expressions  the  Lord 
Jesus  Chi-ist  doth  threaten  the  refusing  sir.ner  with  who 
refuseth  him  now — I  will  laugh  at  him,  I  will  mock  at 
liira.  But  when,  Lord,  wilt  thou  laugh  at,  and  mock  at, 
the  impenitent  1  The  answer  is,  "  I  will  laugh  at  their 
calamities,  and  mock  when  their  fear  cometh  ;  when  their 


TJNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  TIIEllEOF.  91 

fear  cometh  as  desolation,  and  their  destruction  like  a 
whirlwind  ;  when  distress  and  anguish  cometh  upon 
them." 

Object.  4.  But  if  God  Almighty  be  at  this  point,  and 
there  be  no  moving  of  him  to  mercy  at  that  day,  yet  we 
can  but  lie  in  hell  till  we  are  burnt  out,  as  the  log  doth  at 
the  back  of  the  fire. 

Poor  besotted  sinner,  is  this  thy  last  shift  1  wilt  tliou 
comfort  thyself  with  this  ?  are  thy  sins  so  dear,  so  sweet, 
so  desirable,  so  profitable  to  thee,  that  thou  wilt  venture  a 
burning  in  hell-fire  for  them  till  thou  art  burnt  out  ?  Is 
there  nothing  else  to  be  done  but  to  make  a  covenant  w^ith 
death,  and  to  maintain  thy  agreement  with  hell  1  Isa. 
xxviii.  15.  Is  it  not  better  to  say  now  unto  God,  Do  not 
condemn  me  ?  and  to  say  now,  Lord,  be  merciful  to  me,  a 
sinner  1  Would  not  tears,  and  prayers,  and  cries,  in  this 
acceptable  time  to  God  for  mercy  yield  thee  more  benefit 
in  the  next  world  than  to  lie  and  bum  out  in  hell  will  do  % 

But  to  come  more  close  to  thee.  Have  not  I  told  thee 
already  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  ceasing  to  be  ? 
that  the  damned  shall  never  be  burned  out  in  hell  1  there 
shall  be  no  more  such  death,  or  cause  of  dissolution,  for 
ever.  This  one  thing,  well  considered,  breaks  not  only  the 
neck  of  that  wild  conceit  on  which  thy  foolish  objection  is 
built,  but  will  break  thy  stubborn  heart  in  pieces.  For 
then  it  follows,  that  unless  thou  canst  conquer  God,  or  with 
ease  endure  to  conflict  with  his  sin-revenging  wrath,  thou 
wilt  be  made  to  mourn  while  under  his  everlasting  wrath 
and  indignation  ;  and  to  know  that  there  is  not  such  a 
thing  as  a  burning-out  in  hell-fire. 

Object.  5.  But  if  this  must  be  my  case,  I  shall  have 
more  fellows  ;  I  shall  not  go  to  hell,  nor  yet  burn  there, 
alone. 

Answ. — What,  again  ;  is  there  no  breaking  of  the  league 
that  is  betwixt  sin  and  thy  soul  ?  What,  resolved  to  be  a 
self-murderer,  a  soul-murderer  ?  what,  resolved  to  murder 
thine  own  soul  1  But  is  there  any  comfort  in  being  hanged 
with  company  ?  in  sinking  into  the  bottom  of  the  sea  with 


92  THE  GREATKESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

company  ?  or  in  going  to  liell,  in  burning  in  hell,  and  in 
enduring  the  everlasting  pains  of  hell,  with  company  ?  0, 
besotted  wretch  !  But  I  tell  thee,  the  more  compan}-,  the 
more  sorrow  ;  the  more  fuel,  the  more  fire.  Hence  the 
damned  man  that  we  read  of  in  Luke  desired  that  his 
brethren  might  be  so  warned  and  prevailed  with  as  to  be 
kept  out  of  that  place  of  torment,  Luke,  xvi,  27,  28. 

But  to  hasten  ;  I  come  now  to  the  second  use. 

Use  2.  Is  it  so  ?  Is  the  soul  such  an  excellent  thing, 
and  the  loss  thereof  so  unspeakably  great  ?  Then  here  you 
may  see  who  are  the  greatest  fools  in  the  world — to  wit, 
those  who  to  get  the  world  and  its  preferments  will  neglect 
God  till  they  lose  their  souls.  The  rich  man  in  the  gospel 
was  one  of  these  great  fools,  for  that  he  was  more  con- 
cerned about  what  he  should  do  with  his  goods  than  how 
his  soul  should  be  saved,  Luke,  xii.  16-21.  Some  are  for 
venturing  their  souls  for  pleasures,  and  some  are  for  ven- 
turing their  souls  for  profits  ;  they  that  venture  their  souls 
for  pleasures  have  but  little  excuse  for  their  doings  ;  but 
they  that  venture  their  souls  for  profit  seem  to  have  imich. 
"  And  they  all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  excuse  ;" — 
excuse,  for  what  1  why,  for  the  neglect  of  the  salvation  of 
their  souls.  But  what  was  the  cause  of  their  making  this 
excuse  1  Why,  their  profits  came  tumbling  in.  I  have 
bought  a  piece  of  ground  ;  I  have  bought  five  yoke  of 
oxen  ;  and  I  have  married  a  (rich)  Avife,  and  therefore  I 
cannot  come. 

Thus  also  it  was  with  the  fool  first  mentioned  ;  his 
ground  did  bring  forth  plentifully,  wherefore  he  must  of 
necessity  forget  his  soul,  and,  as  he  thought,  all  the  reason 
of  the  Avorld  he  should.  Wherefore  he  falls  to  crying  out, 
What  shall  I  do  ?  Now,  had  one  said,  Mind  the  good  of 
thy  soul,  man  ;  the  answer  would  have  been  ready,  But 
where  shall  I  bestow  my  goods  1  If  it  had  been  replied, 
Stay  till  harvest ;  he  returns  again.  But  I  have  no  room 
where  to  bestow  my  goods.  Now  tell  him  of  praying,  and 
he  answers,  he  must  go  to  building.  Tell  him  he  should 
frequent  sermons,  and  he  replies,  he  must  mind  his  work- 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF,  93 

men,  Tsa.  xliv.  20.  He  cannot  deliver  his  soul,  nor  say,  Is 
there  not  a  lie  in  my  right  hand  ? 

And  see  if  in  the  end  he  did  not  hecome  a  fool  ;  for 
though  he  accomplished  the  building  of  his  barns,  and  put 
in  there  all  his  fruits  and  his  goods,  yet  even  till  now  his 
soul  was  empty,  and  void  of  all  that  was  good  ;  nor  did  he, 
in  singing  of  that  requiem  which  he  sung  to  his  soul  at 
last,  saying,  "  Soul,  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be 
merry,"  shew  himself  ever  the  wiser  ;  for  in  all  his  labours 
he  had  rejected  to  get  that  food  that  indeed  is  meat  and 
drink  for  the  soul.  Nay,  in  singing  this  song  he  did  but 
provoke  God  to  hasten  to  send  to  fetch  his  soul  to  hell ;  for 
so  begins  the  conclusion  of  the  parable — "  Thou  fool,  this 
night  shall  thy  soul  be  required  of  thee  ;  then  v/hose  shall 
those  things  be  which  thou  hast  provided  ?"  So  that,  I 
say,  it  is  the  greatest  folly  in  the  world  for  a  man,  upon 
any  pretence  whatever,  to  neglect  to  make  good  the  salva- 
tion of  his  soul. 

There  are  six  signs  of  a  fool,  and  they  do  all  meet  in 
that  same  man  that  concerns  not  himself,  and  that  to  good 
purpose,  for  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 

1.  "  A  fool  has  not  an  heart,  when  the  price  is  in  his 
hand,  to  get  wisdom,"  Prov.  xvii.  16. 

2.  "  It  is  a  sport  to  a  fool  to  do  mischief,  and  to  set  light 
by  the  commission  of  sin,"  Proverbs,  x.  23. 

3.  •'  Fools  despise  wisdom  ;  fools  hate  knowledge,"  Prov. 
xiv.  9, 

4.  "  A  fool  after  restraint  retui-ns  to  his  folly,"  Prov.  i. 
7,22. 

5.  "  The  way  of  a  fool  is  right  in  his  ovm  eyes,"  Prov. 
xii.  15. 

6.  "  The  fool  goes  merrily  to  the  correction  of  the  stocks," 
Prov.  vii.  22,  23. 

I  might  add  many  more,  but  these  six  shall  suffice  at 
this  time,  by  which  it  appears  that  the  fool  has  no  heart 
for  the  heavenly  prize,  yet  he  has  to  sport  liimself  in  sin  ; 
and  when  he  despises  wisdom,  the  way  is  yet  right  before 
him  ;  yea,  if  he  be  for  some  time  restrained  from  vice,  he 


94  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

greedily  turneth  again  thereto,  and  will,  Avhen  he  has 
finished  his  course  of  folly  and  sin  in  this  world,  go  as 
heedlessly,  as  carelessly,  as  unconcernedly,  and  quietly, 
down  the  steps  to  hell,  as  the  ox  goeth  to  the  slaughter- 
house. 

This  is  a  soul-fool,  a  fool  of  the  higgest  size  (Luke  xii, 
21);  and  so  is  every  one  also  that  layeth  up  treasvire  for 
himself  on  earth,  and  is  not  rich  towards  God. 

Object.  1.  But  would  you  not  have  us  mind  our  worldly 
concerns  ? 

Answ. — Mind  them,  but  mind  them  in  their  place  ;  mind 
thy  soul  first  and  most ;  the  soul  is  more  than  the  body, 
and  eternal  life  better  than  temporal  ;  first  seek  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  prosper  in  thy  health  and  thy  estate  as  thy 
soul  prospers.  Matt.  vi.  33  ;  3  John,  2.  But  as  it  is  rare  to 
see  this  command  obeyed,  for  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  be 
thought  of  last,  so  if  John's  wish  was  to  light  upon,  or 
happen  to  some  people,  they  would  neither  have  health  nor 
wealth  in  this  world.  To  prosper  and  be  in  health,  as  their 
soul  prospers — what,  to  thrive  and  mend  in  outwards,  no 
faster  ]  then  we  should  have  them  have  consumptive  bodies 
and  low  estates,  for  are  not  the  souls  of  most  as  unthrifty, 
for  grace  and  spiritual  health,  as  is  the  tree  without  fruit 
that  is  pulled  up  by  the  roots  ? 

Object.  2.  But  would  you  have  us  sit  still  and  do  no- 
thing ? 

Answ. — And  must  you  needs  be  upon  the  extremes  ; 
must  you  mind  this  world  to  the  damning  of  your  souls  ; 
or  will  you  not  mind  your  callings  at  all  ?  Is  there  not  a 
middle  way  1  may  you  not,  must  you  not,  get  your  bread 
in  a  way  of  honest  industry,  that  is  caring  most  for  the 
next  world,  and  so  using  of  this  as  not  abusing  the  same  ? 
2  Cor.  iv.  18.  And  then  a  man  doth  so,  and  never  but 
then,  when  he  sets  this  world  and  the  next  in  their  proper 
places,  in  his  thoughts,  in  his  esteem,  and  judgment,  and 
dealeth  with  both  accordingly,  1  Cor.  vii.  29-31.  And  is 
there  not  all  the  reason  in  the  world  for  this  1  are  not  the 
things  that  are  eternal  best  ?  Deut.  viii,  3  ;  Matt.  iv.  4  ; 


U.NSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  95 

Heb,  X.  39.  Will  temporal  things  make  thy  soul  to  live  ? 
or  art  thou  none  of  those  that  should  look  after  the  salva- 
tion of  their  soul  ? 

Object.  3.  But  the  most  of  men  do  that  which  you  for- 
bid, and  why  may  not  we  ? 

Answ. — God  says,  "Thou  shalt  not  follow  a  multitude  to 
do  evil,"  Exod.  xxiii.  2  ;  Matt.  vi.  33.  It  is  not  what 
men  do,  but  what  God  commands  ;  it  is  not  what  doth 
present  itself  unto  us,  but  what  is  best,  that  we  should 
choose,  Luke,  x.  41,  42  ;  Prov.  xvi.  32  ;  xix.  16.  Now, 
"  he  that  refuseth  instruction,  despiseth  his  own  soul  ;  and 
he  that  keepeth  the  commandment,  keepeth  his  own  soul." 
Make  not  therefore  these  foolish  objections.  But  what 
saith  the  word,  how  readest  thou  1  That  tells  thee,  that 
the  pleasures  of  sin  are  but  for  a  season  ;  that  the  things 
that  are  seen  are  but  temporal  ;  that  he  is  a  fool  that  is 
rich  in  this  world,  and  is  not  so  towards  God  ;  "  and  what 
shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and 
lose  his  own  soul. 

Object.  4.  But  may  one  not  be  equally  engaged  for  both  1 

A')isw. — A  divided  heart  is  a  naughty  one  ;  you  cannot 
serve  God  and  mammon,  Hos.  x.  2  ;  Matt.  vi.  24  ;  Luke, 
xvi.  13  ;  xxi.  34  ;  1  John,  ii.  15  ;  Prov.  xi.  4.  "  If  any 
man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him  ;" 
and  yet  this  objection  bespeaks  that  thy  heart  is  divided, 
that  thou  art  a  mammonist,  or  that  thou  lovest  the  world. 
But  will  riches  profit  in  the  day  of  wrath  1  yea,  are  they 
not  hui-tful  in  the  day  of  grace  %  do  they  not  tend  to  surfeit 
the  heart,  and  to  alienate  a  man  and  his  mind  from 
things  that  are  better  ?  why  then  wilt  thou  set  thy  heart 
upon  that  which  is  not  ?  yea,  then  what  will  become  of 
them  that  are  so  far  off  of  minding  of  their  souls,  that  they 
for  whole  days,  whole  weeks,  whole  months,  and  years  to- 
gether, scarce  consider  whether  they  have  souls  to  save  1 

Use  3.  But,  thirdly.  Is  it  so  ?  Is  the  soul  such  an  ex- 
cellent thing,  and  is  the  loss  thereof  so  unspeakably  great  ? 
Then  this  should  teach  people  to  be  very  careful  to  whom 
they  commit  the  teaching  and  guidance  of  their  souls. 


96  THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

This  is  a  business  of  the  greatest  concern  ;  men  will  be 
careful  to  whom  they  commit  their  children,  who  they 
make  the  executors  of  their  will,  in  whose  hand  they  trust 
the  writing  and  evidences  of  their  lands  ;  but  how  much 
more  careful  should  we  be — and  yet  the  most  are  the  least 
of  all  careful — unto  whom  we  commit  the  teaching  and 
guidance  of  our  souls. 

There  are  several  sorts  of  soul-shepherds  in  the  world — 

1.  There  are  idol  shepherds,  Zech.  xi.  7. 

2.  There  are  foolish  shepherds,  Zech.  xi.  15. 

3.  There  are  shepherds  that  feed  themselves,  and  not 
their  flock,  Ezek.  xxxiv.  2. 

4.  There  are  hard-hearted  and  pitiless  shepherds,  Zech. 
xi.  3. 

5.  There  are  shepherds  that  instead  of  healing,  smite, 
push,  and  wound  the  diseased,  Ezek.  xxxiv.  4,  21. 

6.  There  are  shepherds  that  cause  their  flocks  to  go  astray, 
Jer.  i.  6. 

7.  And  there  are  shepherds  that  feed  their  flocks  ;  these 
are  the  shepherds  to  whom  thou  shouldst  commit  thy  soul 
for  teaching  and  for  guidance. 

Quest,  You  may  ask.  How  should  I  know  those  shep- 
herds ? 

Atisw, — First,  surrender  up  thy  soul  unto  G-od  by  Christ, 
and  choose  Christ  to  be  the  chief  shepherd  of  thy  soul, 
and  he  will  direct  thee  to  his  shepherds,  and  he  will  of 
his  mercy  set  such  shepherds  over  thee  "  as  shall  feed 
thee  with  knowledge  and  understanding,"  1  Peter,  ii.  25  ; 
iv.  19  ;  John,  x.  4,  5  ;  Cant.  i.  7,  8  ;  Jer.  iii.  15  ;  xxiii. 
4.  Before  thou  hast  surrendered  up  thy  soul  to  Christ, 
that  he  may  be  thy  chief  shepherd,  thou  canst  not  find  out, 
nor  choose  to  put  thy  soul  under  the  teaching  and  guidance 
of  his  under-shepherds,  for  thou  canst  not  love  them  ;  be- 
sides, they  are  so  set  forth  by  false  shepherds,  in  so  many 
ugly  guises,  and  under  so  many  false  and  scandalous  dresses, 
that  should  I  direct  thee  to  them  while  thou  art  a  stranger 
to  Christ,  thou  wilt  count  them  deceivers,  devourers,  and 
wolves  in  sheep's  clothing,  rather  than  the  shepherds  that 


UN8PEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  97 

belong  to  the  great  and  chief  Sheplierd,  who  is  also  the 
Bishop  of  the  soul. 

Yet  this  I  will  say  unto  thee,  take  heed  of  that  shepherd 
that  careth  not  for  his  own  soul,  that  walketh  in  ways, 
and  doth  such  things,  as  have  a  direct  tendency  to  damn 
his  own  soul  ;  I  say,  take  heed  of  such  an  one,  come  not 
near  him,  let  him  have  nothing  to  do  with  thy  soul ;  for  if 
he  be  not  faithful  to  that  which  is  his  own  soul,  be  sure  he 
will  not  be  faithful  to  that  which  is  anotlier  man's.  He 
that  feeds  his  own  soul  with  ashes  (Ezek.  xiii.  18-23),  will 
scarce  feed  thine  with  the  bread  of  life  ;  wherefore,  take 
heed  of  such  an  one  ;  and  many  such  there  are  in  the  world. 
"  By  their  fi-uits  you  shall  know  them  ;"  they  are  for  flat- 
tering of  the  worst,  and  frownii^  upon  the  best ;  they  are 
for  promising  of  life  to  the  profane,  and  for  slaying  the 
souls  that  God  would  have  live  ;  they  are  also  men  that 
hunt  souls  that  fear  God,  but  for  sewing  pillows  under  those 
armholes  which  God  would  have  to  lean  upon  that  which 
would  afflict  them  :  "  These  be  them  that  with  lies  do  make 
the  heart  of  the  righteous  sad,  whom  I  have  not  made  sad, 
saith  God  ;  and  that  have  strengthened  the  hands  of  the 
wicked,  that  he  should  not  return  from  his  wicked  way,  by 
promising  of  him  life." 

And  as  thou  shouldst,  for  thy  soul's  sake,  choose  for  thy- 
self good  soul-shepherds,  so  also,  for  the  same  reason,  you 
should  choose  for  3'ourself  a  good  wife,  a  good  husband,  a 
good  master,  a  good  servant ;  for  in  all  these  things  "  the 
soul  is  concerned,"  Gen.  xxiv.  3  ;  Psalm  ci.  7.  Abraham 
would  not  suffer  Isaac  to  take  a  wife  of  the  daughters  of 
Canaan,  nor  would  David  suffer  a  wicked  servant  to  come 
into  his  house,  or  to  tarry  in  his  sight.  Bad  company  is 
also  very  destructive  to  the  soul,  and  so  is  evil  communica- 
tion ;  wherefore  be  diligent  to  shun  all  these  things,  that 
thou  mayst  persevere  in  that  way,  the  end  of  which  will 
be  the  saving  of  thy  soul,  Prov.  xiii.  20  ;  1  Cor.  xv.  33. 

And  since  under  this  head  I  am  fallen  upon  cautions,  let 
me  add  these  to  those  which  I  have  presented  to  the© 
already — 

a 


98  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

1.  Take  heed,  take  heed  of  learning  to  do  evil  of  an)  diat 
are  good.  It  is  possil:)le  for  a  good  man  to  do  things  that 
are  had, ;  hut  let  not  his  had  action  emholden  thee  to  run 
upon  sin.  Seest  thou  a  good  man  that  stumhleth  at  a  stone, 
or  that  slippeth  into  the  dirt,  let  that  warn  thee  to  take 
heed  ;  let  his  stumhle  make  thee  wary,  let  his  fall  make 
thee  look  well  to  thy  goings  ;  "  ever  follow  that  which  is 
good,"  1  Thess.  v.  15.     Thy  soul  is  at  stake. 

2.  Take  heed  of  the  good  things  of  bad  men,  for  in  them 
there  lies  a  snare  also,  their  good  words  and  fair  speeches 
tend  to  deceive  (Rom.  xvi.  17,  18)  ;  learn  to  he  good  by  the 
word  of  God,  and  by  the  holy  lives  of  them  that  be  good, 
(Prov.  iii.  31  ;  xxiv.  i.)  ;  envy  not  the  wicked,  nor  desire 
to  be  with  him  ;  choose  none  of  his  ways  :  thy  soul  lies  at 
stake. 

3.  Take  heed  of  playing  the  hj^pocrite  in  religion.  What 
of  God  and  his  word  thou  knowest,  profess  it  honestly,  con- 
form to  it  heartily,  serve  him  faithfully  ;  for  what  is  the 
hypocrite  bettered  by  all  his  profession  "  when  God  shall 
take  away  his  soul  ?"  Job,  xxvii.  8. 

4.  Take  heed  of  delays  to  turn  to  God,  and  of  choosing 
his  ways  for  the  delight  of  thy  heart,  "  for  the  Lord's  eye 
is  upon  them  that  fear  him,  to  deliver  their  souls,"  Psalm 
xxxiii.  18,  19. 

5.  Boast  not  thyself  of  thy  flocks  and  thy  herds,  of  thy 
gold  and  thy  silver,  of  thy  sons  and  of  thy  daughters.  What 
is  a  house  full  of  treasures,  and  all  the  delights  of  this  world, 
if  thou  be  empty  of  grace,  "  if  thy  soul  be  not  filled  with 
good  V  Eccles.  vi.  3.     But, 

Use  4.  Is  it  so  1  is  the  soul  such  an  excellent  thing,  and 
IS  the  loss  thereof  so  unspeakabl}'-  great  ?  Then  I  pray  thee 
let  me  inquire  a  little  of  thee,  what  provision  hast  thou 
made  for  thy  soul  ?  There  be  many  that  through  their 
eagerness  after  the  things  of  this  life  do  bereave  their  soul 
of  good,  even  of  that  good  the  which  if  they  had  it  would 
be  a  good  to  them  for  ever,  Eccles.  iv.  8.  But  I  ask  not 
concerning  this  ;  it  is  not  wjmt  provision  thou  hast  made 
for  this  life,  but  what  for  the  life  and  the  world  to  come. 


DXSPEAKABLENESS  OV  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  99 

"  Lord,  gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners,"  said  David  (Ps. 
xxvi.  9)  ;  not  with  men  of  this  world  ;  Lord,  not  with  them 
that  have  tlieir  portion  in  this  life,  whose  helly  thou  fillest 
with  thy  hid  treasures.  Thus  you  see  how  Solomon  laments 
some,  and  how  his  father  prays  to  be  delivered  from  their 
lot  who  have  their  portion  in  this  life,  and  that  have  not 
made  provision  for  their  soul.  Well,  then_,  let  me  inquire 
of  thee  about  this  matter.  What  provision  hast  thou  made 
for  thy  soul  ?     And, 

1 .  What  hast  thou  thought  of  thy  soul  1  What  ponderous 
thoughts  hast  thou  had  of  the  greatness  and  of  the  immor- 
tality of  thy  soul  ?  This  must  be  the  first  inquiry ;  for  he 
that  hath  not  had  his  thoughts  truly  exercised,  ponderously 
exercised,  about  the  greatness  and  the  immortality  of  his 
soul,  will  not  be  careful  after  an  effectual  manner  to  make 
provision  for  his  soul  for  the  life  and  world  to  come.  The 
soul  is  a  man's  all,  whether  he  knows  it  or  no,  as  I  have 
already  shewed  you.  Now  a  man  will  be  concerned  about 
what  he  thinks  is  his  all.  We  read  of  the  poor  servant  that 
"  sets  his  heart  upon  his  wages"  (Deut.  xxiv.  14,  15) ;  but 
it  is  because  it  is  his  all,  his  treasure,  and  that  wherein  his 
worldly  worth  lieth.  Why,  thy  soul  is  thy  all ;  it  is  strange 
if  thou  dost  not  think  so  ;  and  more  strange  if  thou  dost 
think  so,  and  yet  hast  light,  seldom,  and  trivial  thoughts 
about  it.  These  tv.'o  seem  to  be  inconsistent,  therefore  let 
thy  conscience  speak  ;  either  thou  hast  very  great  and 
weighty  thouglits  about  the  excellent  greatness  of  thy  soul, 
or  else  thou  dost  not  count  that  thy  soul  is  so  great  a  thing 
as  it  is,  else  thou  dost  not  count  it  thy  all. 

2.  Wliat  judgment  hast  thou  made  of  the  present  state  of 
thy  soul  ?  I  speak  now  to  the  unconverted.  Thy  soul  is 
under  sin,  under  the  curse,  and  an  object  of  wrath  ;  this  is 
that  sentence  that  by  the  word  is  passed  upon  it — "  Woe  to 
their  souls,  saith  God  ;  for  they  have  rewarded  evil  to  them- 
selves" (Isa.  iii.  9)  ;  this  is  the  sentence  of  God.  Well, 
but  what  judgment  hast  thou  passed  upon  it  while  thou 
livest  in  thy  debaucheries  ?  Is  it  not  that  which  thy 
fellows  have  passed  on  theirs  before  thee,  saying,  "  I  shall 


100        THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

have  peace,  though  I  walk  in  the  imagination  of  my  heart, 
to  add  drunkenness  to  thirst,"  Deut.  xxix.  19-21.  If  so, 
know  thy  judgment  is  gross,  thy  soul  is  miserable,  and 
turn,  or  in  little  time  thine  eyes  will  behold  all  this. 

3.  What  care  hast  thou  had  of  securing  of  thy  soul,  and 
that  it  might  be  delivered  from  the  danger  that  by  sin  it  is 
brought  into  ?  If  a  man  have  a  horse,  a  cow,  or  a  swine 
that  is  sick,  or  in  danger  by  reason  of  this  or  that  casualty, 
he  will  take  care  for  his  beast,  that  it  may  not  perish,  he 
will  pull  it  out  of  the  ditch  on  the  Sabbath  day.  But,  oh  \ 
that  is  the  day  on  which  many  men  do  piit  their  soul  into 
the  ditch  of  sin ;  that  is  the  day  that  they  set  apart  to  pursue 
wickedness  in.  But  I  say,  what  care  hast  thou  taken  to 
get  thy  soul  out  of  this  ditch  ? — a  ditch  out  of  which  thou 
canst  never  get  it  without  the  aid  of  an  omnipotent  arm. 
In  things  pertaining  to  this  life,  when  a  man  feels  his  own 
strength  fail,  he  will  implore  the  help  and  aid  of  another  ; 
and  no  man  can  by  any  means  deliver  by  his  own  ann  his 
soul  from  the  power  of  hell  (which  thou  also  wilt  confess, 
if  thou  beest  not  a  very  brute)  ;  but  what  hast  thou  done 
with  God  for  help  ?  hast  thou  cried  ?  hast  thou  cried  out  ? 
yea,  dost  thou  still  cry  out,  and  that  day  and  night  before 
him — "  Deliver  my  soul,  save  my  soul,  preserve  my  soul, 
heal  my  soul,  and  I  pour  out  my  soul  unto  thee  ?"  (Ps.  xvii. 
13  ;  XXV.  20 ;  xli.  4 ;  Ixii.  5 ;  Ixiii.  1-8)  ;  yea,  canst  thou  say. 
My  soul,  my  soul  waiteth  upon  God,  my  soul  thirsteth  for 
him,  my  soul  folio weth  hard  after  him  1  I  say,  dost  thou 
this,  or  dost  thou  hunt  thine  own  soul  to  destroy  it  1  The 
soul  with  some  is  the  game,  their  lusts  are  the  dogs,  and 
they  themselves  are  the  huntsmen,  and  never  do  they  more 
halloo,  and  lure,  and  laugh,  and  sing,  than  when  they  have 
delivered  up  their  soul,  their  darling,  to  these  dogs  ;  a  thing 
that  David  trembled  to  think  of,  when  he  cried,  "  Dogs  have 
compassed  me  about ;  save  my  darling,  my  soul,  from  the 
power  of  the  dog,"  Ps.  xxii.  16,  20.  Thus,  I  say,  he  cried, 
and  y«t  these  dogs  were  but  wicked  men.  But,  oh  !  how 
much  is  a  sin,  a  lust,  worse  than  a  man  to  do  us  hurt ;  yea, 
worse  than  is  a  dog,  a  lion,  to  hurt  a  lamb ' 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  101 

4.  What  are  the  signs  and  tokens  that  thou  hearest  about 
thee  concerning  how  it  will  go  with  thy  soul  at  last  ?  There 
are  signs  and  tokens  of  a  good,  and  signs  and  tokens  of  a 
bad;  and  that  the  souls  of  sinners  will  have  (Phil,  i,  27, 
28  ;  Heb.  vi.  9  ;  Job,  xxi.  29,  30  ;  Isa.  iii.  9)  ;  there  are  signs 
of  the  salvation  of  the  soul,  evident  tokens  of  salvation  ; 
and  there  are  signs  of  the  damnation  of  the  soul,  evident 
signs  of  damnation.  Now  which  of  these  hast  thou  ?  I  can- 
not stand  here  to  shew  thee  which  are  which  ;  but  thy 
soul  and  its  salvation  lieth  before  thee,  and  thou  hast  the 
book  of  signs  about  these  matters  by  thee  ;  thou  hast  also 
men  of  God  to  go  to,  and  their  assemblies  to  frequent. 
Look,  to  thyself;  heaven  and  hell  are  hard  by,  and  one  of 
them  will  swallow  thee  up  ;  heaven,  into  unspeakable  and 
endless  glory  ;  or  hell,  into  unspeakable  and  endless  tor- 
ment.    Yet, 

5.  What  are  the  pleasures  and  delights  of  thy  soul  now  1 
Are  they  things  divine,  or  things  natural  1  Are  they  things 
heavenly,  or  things  earthly  ?  Are  they  things  holy,  or 
things  unholy  ?  For  look  what  things  thou  delightest  in 
now,  to  those  things  the  great  God  doth  count  thee  a  ser- 
vant, and  for  and  of  those  thou  shalt  receive  thy  wages  at 
the  day  of  judgment — "  His  servants  you  are  to  whom  you 
obey,  whether  of  sin  unto  death,  or  of  obedience  unto  right- 
eousness," Rom  vi.  16. 

Wicked  men  talk  of  heaven,  and  say  they  hope  and  desire 
to  go  to  heaven,  even  while  they  continue  wicked  men ; 
but  I  say,  what  would  they  do  there  I  If  all  that  desire 
to  go  to  heaven  should  come  thither,  verily  they  would 
make  a  hell  of  heaven  ;  for  I  say,  what  would  they  do 
there  ?  why,  just  as  they  do  here  ;  scatter  their  filthiness 
quite  over  the  face  of  heaven,  and  make  it  as  vile  as  the  pit 
that  the  devils  dwell  in.  Take  holiness  away  out  of  heaven, 
and  what  is  heaven  1  I  had  rather  be  in  hell  were  there 
none  but  holy  ones  there,  than  be  in  heaven  itself  with  the  ' 
children  of  iniquity.  If  heaven  should  be  filled  with  wicked 
men,  God  would  quickly  drive  them  out,  or  forsake  the 
place  for  their  sakes.     It  is  true,  they  have  been  sinners, 


102         THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

and  none  but  sinners,  that  go  to  heaven  ;  but  they  s,re 
washed, — "  Such  were  some  of  you,  but  ye  are  washed 
(1  Cor.  ix.  10,  11),  but  you  are  justified,  but  you  are  sanc- 
tified in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  the 
Spirit  of  our  God."  When  the  maidens  were  gathered 
together  for  the  great  king  Ahasuerus,  before  they  were 
brought  to  him  into  his  royal  presence,  they  were  to  be 
had  to  the  house  of  the  women,  there  to  be  purified  with 
things  for  purification,  and  that  for  twelve  months  together 
— to  wit,  six  montlis  Avith  oil  of  myrrh,  and  six  months 
with  sweet  odours,  and  other  things  (Esther,  ii.  3,  9,  12, 13), 
and  so  came  every  maiden  to  the  king.  God  also  hath 
appointed  that  those  that  come  into  his  royal  presence 
should  first  go  to  the  house  of  the  women,  the  church, 
and  there  receive  of  the  eunuchs  things  for  purification, 
things  to  "  make  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  in  light,"  Col.  i.  12.  None  can  go  from  a  state 
of  nature  to  glory  but  by  a  state  of  grace  (1  Cor.  v.  5  ; 
Rom.  ix.  23)  ;  the  Lord  gives  grace  and  glory  ;  hence  he 
that  goeth  to  heaven  is  said  to  be  wrought  for  it,  fitted, 
prepared  for  it. 

Use  5,  Again,  fifthly.  Is  it  so  ?  is  the  soul  such  an  excel- 
lent thing,  and  is  the  loss  thereof  so  unspeakably  great  ? 
Then  this  doctrine  commends  those  for  the  wise  ones  that 
above  all  business  concern  themselves  with  the  salvation 
of  their  souls  ;  those  that  make  all  other  matters  but  things 
by  the  bye,  and  the  salvation  of  their  souls  the  one  thing 
needful.  But  but  few  comparatively  will  be  concerned 
with  this  use  ;  for  where  is  he  that  doth  this  1  Solomon 
speaks  of  one  man  of  a  thousand  (Eccles.  vii.  28).  How- 
ever, some  there  be,  .and  blessed  be  God  for  some  ;  but  they 
are  they  that  are  wise,  yea,  wise  in  the  wisdom  of  God, 

1.  Because  they  reject  what  God  hath  rejected,  and  that 
is  sin. 

2.  Because  they  esteem  but  little  of  that  which  by  the 
word  is  counted  but  of  little  esteem,  and  that  is  the  world. 

3.  Because  they  choose  for  a  portion  that  which  God 
commendeth  unto  us  for  that  which  is  the  most  excellent 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  103 

thing — viz.  himself,  his  Christ,  his  heaven,  his  word,  his 
grace,  and  holiness,  these  are  the  great  and  most  excellent 
things,  and  the  things  that  they  have  chosen  that  are  truly 
wise  for  their  soul  (and  all  other  wise  men  are  fools  in 
God's  account,  and  in  the  judgment  of  his  word),  and  if  it 
be  so,  glory  and  bliss  must  needs  be  their  portion,  though 
others  shall  miss  thereof—"  The  wise  shall  inherit  glory, 
but  shame  shall  be  the  promotion  of  fools,"  Pro  v.  iii.  35. 

Let  me  then  encourage  those  that  are  of  this  mind  to  be 
strong,  and  hold  on  their  way.  Soul,  thou  hast  pitched 
riyht ;  I  will  say  of  thy  choice  as  David  said  of  Goliath's 
sword,  "  There  is  none  like  tliat ;  give  it  nie."  "  Hold  last 
that  thou  hast,  that  no  man  take  thy  crown,"  Rev.  iii.  11. 
Oh  !  I  admire  this  wisdom  ;  this  is  by  the  direction  ot  tne 
Lawgiver  ;  this  is  by  the  teaching  of  the  blessed  Spirit  of 
God  ;  not  the  wisdom  which  this  world  teacheth,  nor  the 
wisdom  which  the  world  doth  choose,  which  comes  to 
nought.  Surely  thou  hast  seen  something  of  the  world  to 
come,  and  of  the  glory  of  it,  through  faith  (1  Cor.  ii.  6)  ; 
surely  God  has  made  thee  see  emptiness  in  that  wherein 
others  find  a  fulness,  and  vanity  in  that  which  by  others 
is  counted  for  a  darling.  Blessed  are  thine  eyes,  for  they 
see,  and  thine  ears,  for  they  hear. 

But  who  told  thee  that  thy  soul  was  such  an  excellent 
thing  as  by  thy  practice  thou  declarest  thou  believest  it  to 
be  ?  What !  set  more  by  thy  soul  than  by  all  the  world  1 
What  !  cast  a  world  behind  thy  back  for  the  welfare  of  a 
soul  ?  Is  not  this  to  play  the  fool  in  the  account  of  sinners, 
while  angels  wonder  at  and  rejoice  for  thy  wisdom  ? 

"What  a  thing  is  this,  that  thy  soul  and  its  welfare  should 
be  more  in  thy  esteem  than  all  those  glories  wherewith  the 
eyes  of  the  world  are  dazzled !  Surely  thou  hast  looked 
upon  the  sun,  and  that  makes  gold  look  like  a  clod  of  clay 
in  thine  eyesight. 

But  who  put  the  thoughts  of  the  excellences  of  the  things 
that  are  eternal — I  say,  who  put  the  thoughts  of  the  excel- 
lency of  those  things  into  thy  mind  in  this  wanton  age  1  in 
an  age  wherein  the  thoughts  of  eternal  life  and  the  salva- 


104  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

tion  of  the  soul  are  with  and  to  many  like  the  Morocco 
ambassador  and  his  men,  of  strange  faces,  in  strange  habits, 
with  strange  gestures  and  behaviours,  monsters  to  behold. 

But  where  hadst  thou  that  heart  that  gives  entertainment 
to  these  thoughts,  these  heavenly  thoughts  ?  These  thoughts 
are  like  the  French  protestants,  banished  thence  where  they 
willingly  would  have  harbour.  How  came  they  to  thy  house, 
to  thy  heart,  and  to  find  entertainment  in  thy  soul  ]  The  Lord 
keep  them  in  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  thy  heart 
for  ever,  and  incline  thine  heart  to  seek  him  more  and  more. 

And  since  the  whole  world  have  slighted  and  despised, 
and  counted  foolish  the  thoughts  and  cogitations  wherewith 
thy  soul  is  exercised,  what  strong  and  mighty  supporter  is 
it  upon  and  with  which  thou  bearest  up  thy  spirit,  and 
takest  encouragement  in  this  thy  forlorn,  unoccupied,  and 
singular  way  "?  for  so  I  dare  say  it  is  with  the  most ;  but 
certainly  it  is  something  above  thyself,  and  that  is  more 
mighty  to  uphold  thee  than  are  the  power,  rage,  and  malice 
of  all  the  world  to  cast  thee  down,  or  else  thou  couldst  not 
bear  up,  now  the  stream  and  the  force  thereof  are  against 
thee. 

Object  1 .  I  know  my  soul  is  an  excellent  thing,  and  that 
the  world  to  come  and  its  glories,  even  in  the  smallest 
glimpse  thereof,  do  swallow  up  all  the  world  that  is  here  ; 
my  heart  also  doth  greatly  desire  to  be  exercised  about  the 
thoughts  of  eternity,  and  I  count  myself  never  better  than 
when  my  poor  heart  is  filled  with  them  ;  as  for  the  rage 
and  fury  of  this  world,  it  swayeth  very  little  Avith  me,  for 
my  heart  is  come  to  a  point ;  but  yet,  for  all  that,  I  meet 
with  many  discouragements,  and  such  thing-s  that  indeed 
do  weaken  my  strength  in  the  way. 

But,  brave  soul,  pray  tell  me  what  the  things  are  that 
discourage  thee,  and  that  weaken  thy  strength  in  the  way  ? 

Why,  the  amazing  greatness  of  this  my  enterprise,  that 
is  one  thing.  I  am  now  pursuing  things  of  the  highest,  the 
greatest,  the  most  enriching  nature,  even  eternal  things  ; 
and  the  thoughts  of  the  greatness  of  them  drowned  me  ;  for 
when  the  heat  of  my  spirit  in  the  pursuit  after  them  is  a 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  106 

little  returned  and  abated,  methinks  I  hear  myself  talking 
thus  to  myself  :  Fond  fool  !  canst  thou  imagine  that  such 
a  gnat,  a  ilea,  a  pismire  as  thou  art,  can  take  and  possess 
the  heavens,  and  mantle  thyself  up  in  the  eternal  glories  ? 
If  thou  makest  first  a  trial  of  the  successfulness  of  thy  en- 
deavours upon  things  far  lower,  more  base,  but  much  more 
easy  to  obtain,  as  crowns,  kingdoms,  earldoms,  dukedoms, 
gold,  silver,  or  the  like,  how  vain  are  these  attempts  of 
thine  ;  and  yet  thou  thinkest  to  possess  thy  soul  of  heaven  ! 
Away,  away  !  by  the  height  thereof  thou  mayst  well  con- 
clude it  is  far  above  out  of  thy  reach  ;  and  by  the  breadth 
thereof  it  is  too  large  for  thee  to  grasp  ;  and  by  the  nature 
of  the  excellent  glory  thereof,  too  good  for  thee  to  possess. 
These  are  the  thoughts  that  sometimes  discourage  me,  and 
that  weaken  my  strength  in  the  way, 

Atiszo. — The  greatness  of  thy  undertakings  does  but  shew 
the  nobleness  of  thy  soul,  in  that  it  cannot,  will  not,  be 
content  with  such  low  and  dry  things  as  the  baseborn  spirits 
that  are  of  the  world  can  and  do  content  themselves  withal. 
And  as  to  the  greatness  of  the  things  thou  aimest  at,  though 
they  be,  as  they  are  indeed,  things  that  have  not  their  like, 
yet  they  are  not  too  big  for  God  to  give,  and  he  has  promised 
to  give  them  to  the  soul  that  seeketh  him  (Luke,  xii.  32  ; 
Matt.  XXV.  14  ;  Col.  i.  4)  ;  yea,  he  hath  prepared  the  king- 
dom, given  the  kingdom,  and  laid  up  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  the  things  that  thy  soul  longeth  for,  presseth  after, 
and  canndt  be  content  without.  As  for  thy  making  a  trial 
of  the  successfulness  of  thy  endeavours  upon  things  more 
inferior  and  base,  that  is  but  a  trick  of  the  old  deceiver. 
God  has  refused  to  give  his  children  the  great,  the  brave, 
and  glorious  things  of  this  world  (a  few  only  excepted), 
because  he  has  prepared  some  better  thing  for  them  (1  Cor. 
i.  27  ;  Heb.  x.  39  ;  xi.  36-40  ;  Col.  vi.  9  ;  1  Pet.  i.  8,  9)  ; 
wherefore  faint  not,  but  let  thy  hand  be  strong,  for  thy 
work  shall  be  rewarded  ;  and  since  thy  soul  is  at  work  for 
soul-things,  for  divine  and  eternal  things,  God  will  give 
them  to  thee  ;  thou  art  not  of  the  number  of  them  that 
draw  back  unto  perdition,  but  of  them  that  believe  to  the 


106         THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

saving  of  the  soul ;  thou  shalt  receive  the  end  of  thy  faith, 
the  salvation  of  thy  soul. 

Object.  2.  But  all  my  discouragements  do  not  lie  in  this. 
I  see  so  much  of  the  sinful  vileness  of  my  nature,  and  feel 
how  ready  it  is  to  thrust  itself  forth  at  all  occasions  to  the 
defiling  of  my  whole  man,  and  more.  Now  this  added  to 
the  former,  adds  to  my  discouragement  greatly. 

Atisw. — This  should  be  cause  of  humiliation  and  of  self- 
abasement,  but  not  of  discouragement ;  for  the  best  of  saints 
have  their  weaknesses,  these  their  weaknesses.  The  ladies 
as  well  as  she  that  grinds  at  the  mill  know  what  doth 
attend  that  sex ;  and  the  giants  in  grace  as  well  as  the 
weak  and  shrubs  are  sensible  of  the  same  things,  which 
thou  layest  in  against  thy  exercising  of  hope,  or  as  matter 
of  thy  discouragement.  Psalm  Ixxvii.  2,  poor  David  says, 
his  soul  refused  to  be  comforted  upon  this  very  account, 
and  Paul  cries  out  under  sense  of  this,  "  0  wretched  man 
that  I  am !"  and  comes  as  it  were  to  the  borders  of  a  doubt, 
saying,  "  Who  shall  deliver  me"  (Rom.  vii,  24)  ;  only  he 
was  quick  at  remembering  that  Christ  was  his  righteous- 
ness and  price  of  redemption,  and  there  he  relieved  himself. 

Again  ;  this  should  drive  us  to  faith  in  Christ ;  for  there- 
fore are  corruptions  by  divine  permission  still  left  in  us, 
not  to  drive  us  to  unbelief,  but  to  faith — that  is,  to  look  to 
the  perfect  righteousness  of  Christ  for  life. 

And  for  further  help,  consider,  that  therefore  Christ  liveth 
in  heaven,  making  intercession  (Rom.  v.  6-9),  that  thou 
mightest  be  saved  by  his  life,  not  by  thine,  and  by  his 
intercessions,  not  by  thy  perfections,  Col.  i.  20  ;  1  Peter,  i. 
13  ;  v.  5  ;  2  Cor.  vii.  11  ;  Mark,  xiii.  37  ;  2  Peter,  i.  10. 
Let  not  therefore  thy  weaknesses  be  thy  discouragements  ; 
only  let  them  put  thee  upon  the  duties  required  of  thee  by 
the  gospel — to  wit,  faith,  hope,  repentance,  humility,  watch- 
fulness, diligence,  &c. 

Object.  3.  But  I  find,  together  with  these  things,  weak- 
ness and  faintness  as  to  my  graces^ ;  my  faith,  my  hope, 
my  love,  and  desires  to  these  and  all  other  Christian  duties 
are  weak  ;  I  am  like  the  man  in  the  di-eam,  that  would 


UXSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  107 

have  run,  but  could  not ;  that  would  have  fought,  but 
could  not ;  and  that  would  have  fled,  but  could  not. 

A?isw.  1.  Weak  graces  are  graces,  weak  graces  may  grow 
stronger ;  but  if  the  iron  be  blunt,  put  to  the  more  strength, 
Eccles.  X.  10.  2.  Christ  seems  to  be  nwst  tender  of  the 
weak,  ''  He  shall  gather  his  lambs  with  his  arm,  shall  carry 
them  in  his  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead  them  that  are 
with  young,"  Isa.  xl.  11.  And  again,  "  I  will  seek  that 
which  was  lost,  and  bring  again  that  which  was  driven 
away,  and  I  will  bind  up  that  which  was  broken,  and  will 
strengthen  that  which  was  sick,"  Ezek.  xxxiv.  16,  Only 
here  will  thy  wisdom  be  manifested — to  wit,  that  thou  grow 
in  grace,  and  that  thou  use  lawfully  and  diligently  the  means 
to  do  it,  2  Pet.  iii.  18  ;  Phil.  iii.  10,  11  ;  1  Thess.  iii.  11-13. 

I  come,  in  the  next  place,  to  a  use  of  terror,  and  so  I 
shall  conclude.  Is  it  so?  is  the  soul  such  an  excellent 
thing,  and  is  the  loss  thereof  so  unspeakably  great  1  Then 
this  sheweth  the  sad  state  of  those  that  lose  tlieir  souls. 
We  use  to  count  those  in  a  deplorable  condition  that  by 
one  only  stroke  are  stript  of  their  whole  estate  ;  the  fire 
swept  away  all  that  he  had  ;  or  all  that  he  had  was  in  such 
a  ship,  and  that  ship  sunk  into  the  bottom  of  the  sea  ;  this 
is  sad  news,  this  is  heavy  tidings,  this  is  bewailed  of  all, 
especially  if  such  were  great  in  the  world,  and  were  brought 
by  their  loss  from  a  high  to  a  low,  to  a  very  low  condi- 
tion ;  but  alas !  what  is  this  to  the  loss  about  which  we 
have  been  speaking  all  this  while  ?  The  loss  of  an  estate 
may  be  repaired,  or  if  not,  a  man  may  find  friends  in  his 
present  deplorable  condition  to  his  support,  though  not 
recovery  ;  but  far  will  this  be  fi-om  him  that  shall  lose  his 
soul.  Ah  !  he  has  lost  his  soul,  and  can  never  be  relieved 
again,  unless  hell-fire  can  comfort  him  ;  unless  he  can 
solace  himself  in  the  fiery  indignation  of  God  ;  terrors  will 
be  upon  him,  anguish  and  sorrow  will  swallow  him  up, 
because  of  present  misery  ;  slighted  and  set  at  nought  by 
God  and  his  angels,  he  will  also  be  in  this  his  miserable 
state,  and  this  will  add  to  sorrow,  sorrow,  and  to  his  vexa- 
tion of  spirit,  howling. 


108  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

To  present  you  with  emblems  of  tormented  spirits,  or  to 
draw  before  your  eyes  the  picture  of  hell,  are  things  too  light 
for  so  ponderous  a  subject  as  this  ;  nor  can  any  man  frame  or 
invent  words,  be  they  never  so  deep  and  profound,  sufficient 
to  the  life  to  set  out  the  torments  of  hell.  All  those  ex- 
pressions of  fire,  brimstone,  the  lake  of  fire,  a  hery  furnace, 
the  bottomless  pit,  and  a  hundred  more  to  boot,  are  ail  too 
short  to  set  forth  the  miseries  of  those  that  shall  be  damned 
souls.  "  Who  knows  the  power  of  God's  anger  ?"  (Psalm 
xc.  11)  none  at  all ;  and  unless  the  power  of  that  can  be 
known,  it  must  abide  as  unspeakable  as  the  love  of  Christ, 
which  passeth  knowledge. 

We  hear  it  thunder,  we  see  it  lighten  ;  yea,  eclipses,  comets, 
and  blazing  stars  are  all  subject  to  smite  us  with  terror ; 
the  thought  of  a  ghost,  of  the  appearing  of  a  dead  wife,  a 
dead  husband,  or  the  like,  how  terrible  are  these  things! 
But  alas,  what  are  these  ?  mere  fleabitings,  nay,  not  so  bad, 
when  compared  with  the  torments  of  hell.  Guilt  and  de- 
spair, what  are  they,  who  understands  them  unto  perfec- 
tion ?  The  ireful  looks  of  an  infinite  ]\Iajesty,  what  mortal 
in  the  land  of  the  living  can  tell  us  to  the  full  'how 
dismal  and  breaking  to  the  soul  of  a  man  it  is  when  it 
comes  as  from  the  power  of  anger,  and  arises  from  the 
utmost  indignation  1  Besides,  who  knows  of  all  the  ways 
by  which  the  Almighty  will  inflict  his  just  revenges  upon 
the  souls  of  damned  sinners?  When  Paul  was  caught 
up  to  the  third  heaven,  he  heard  words  that  were  un- 
speakable ;  and  he  that  goes  do^vn  to  hell  shall  hear 
groans  that  are  unutterable.  Hear,  did  I  say  '?  they  shall 
feel  them,  they  shall  feel  them  burst  from  their  wounded 
spirits  as  thunderclaps  do  from  the  clouds.  Once  I  dreamed 
that  I  saw  two  (whom  I  knew)  in  hell,  and  methought  I 
saw  a  continual  dropping  from  heaven,  as  of  great  drops  of 
fire  lighting  upon  them  to  their  sore  distress.  Oh  !  words 
are  wanting,  thoughts  are  Avanting,  imagination  and  fancy 
are  poor  things  here  ;  hell  is  another  kind  of  place  and  state 
than  any  alive  can  think  ;  and  since  I  am  upon  this  sub- 
ject, I  will  here  treat  a  little  of  hell  as  the  scriptures  will 


INSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEUEOF.  109 

give  me  leave,  and  the  rather  because  I  am  upon  a  use 
of  terror,  and  because  hell  is  the  place  of  tonnent,  Luke,  xvi. 

1.  Hell  is  said  to  be  beneath,  as  heaven  is  said  to  be 
above  ;  because  as  above  signifieth  the  utmost  joy,  triumph, 
and  felicity  (Prov.  xv.  24)  ;  so  beneath  is  a  term  most  fit 
to  describe  the  place  of  hell  by,  because  of  the  utmost  op- 
position that  is  between  these  two  ;  hell  being  the  place  of 
the  utmost  sorrow,  despair,  and  misery  ;  there  are  the  un- 
derlings ever  trampled  under  the  feet  of  God  ;  they  are 
beneath,  below,  under. 

2.  Hell  is  said  to  be  darkness,  and  heaven  is  said  to  be 
light  (Matt.  xxii.  12), — light,  to  shew  the  pleasurableness 
and  the  desirableness  of  heaven  ;  and  darkness,  to  shew  the 
dolesome  and  wearisomeness  of  hell ;  and  how  weary,  oh  ! 
how  weary  and  wearisomely,  as  I  may  say,  will  damned 
souls  turn  themselves  from  side  to  side,  from  place  to  place, 
in  hell,  while  swallowed  up  in  the  thickest  darkness,  and 
griped  with  the  burning  thoughts  of  the  endlessness  of  that 
most  unutterable  misery  ! 

3.  Men  are  said  to  go  up  to  heaven,  but  they  are  said  to 
go  dow^n  to  hell  (Ezek.  xxxii.  17-19), — up,  because  of 
exaltation,  and  because  they  must  abound  in  beauty  and 
glory  that  go  to  heaven  ;  down,  because  of  those  sad  dejec- 
tions, that  great  deformity  and  vile  contempt  that  sin  hath 
brought  them  to  that  go  to  hell. 

4.  Heaven  is  called  a  hill  or  mount,  hell  is  called  a  pit, 
or  hole  (Heb.  xii.  ;  Rev.  ix.  2  ;  xiv.), — ^heaven,  a  mount, 
the  mount  Zion,  to  shew  how  God  has  and  will  exalt  them 
that  loved  him  in  the  world  ;  hell,  a  pit  or  hole,  to  shew 
how  all  the  ungodly  shall  be  buried  in  the  yawning  paunch 
and  belly  of  hell,  as  in  a  hollow  cave. 

5.  Heaven !  It  is  said  of  heaven,  the  height  of  heaven — 
and  of  hell,  the  bottomless  pit  (Job,  xxii.  1 2  ;  Rev.  ix.  2  ; 
XX.  3) — the  height  of  heaven,  to  shew  that  the  exaltation  of 
them  that  do  ascend  up  thither  is  1)oth  perfect  and  unsearch- 
able ;  and  hell,  the  bottomless  pit,  to  shew  that  the  downfall 
of  them  that  descend  in  thither  will  never  beat  an  end — do^vn, 
down,  down  they  go,  and  nothing  but  down,  down  still. 


110         THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AM) 

6.  Heaven !  It  is  called  the  paradise  of  God  ;  but  hell, 
the  burning  lake  (Rev.  ii.  7  ;  xxii.  15) — a  paradise,  to  shew 
how  quiet,  harmless,  sweet,  and  beautiful  heaven  shall  be 
to  them  that  possess  it,  as  the  garden  was  at  the  beginning 
of  the  creation  ;  hell,  the  burning  lake,  to  allude  to  Sodom, 
that  since  its  destruction  has  turned,  into  a  stinking  lake, 
and  to  shew  that  as  their  distress  was  unutterable,  and  to 
the  highest  amazement,  full  of  confusion  and  horror,  when 
that  tempestuous  storm  of  fire  and  brimstone  was  rained 
from  the  Lord  out  of  heaven  upon  them,  so  to  tlie  utmost 
degree  shall  it  be  with  the  souls  that  are  lost  and  cast  into 
hell. 

7.  It  is  said  that  there  are  dwelling-houses  or  places  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  also  that  there  are  the  cells  or 
the  chambers  of  death  in  hell,  John,  xiv.  1-3  ;  Zech.  iii.  7  ; 
Isa.  Ivii.  1,2;  Prov.  vii.  27  ;  Deut.  xxxii.  22  ;  Ps.  Ixviii. 
13.  There  are  mansions  or  dwelling-places  in  heaven,  to 
shew  that  every  one  of  them  that  go  thither  might  have  his 
reward,  according  to  his  work  ;  and  that  there  is  hell,  and 
the  lowest  hell,  and  the  chambers  of  death  in  hell,  to  shew 
there  are  places  and  states  in  hell  too,  for  sinners  to  be 
imprisoned  in  according  to  their  faults  (Luke,  xx.  47)  ; 
hence  it  is  said  of  some,  These  shall  receive  greater  damna- 
tion ;  and  of  others.  That  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in  the  judgment  than  for  them,  &c. 

The  lowest  hell,  Luke,  x.  12,  14.  How  many  hells 
there  are  above  that,  or  more  tolerable  tormenting  places 
than  the  most  exquisite  torments  there,  God  and  they  that 
are  there  know  best ;  but  degrees  without  doubt  there  are  ; 
and  the  term  "lowest"  shews  the  utmost  and  most  exqui- 
site distress  ;  so  the  chambers  of  death,  the  second  death 
in  liell,  for  so  I  think  the  words  should  be  understood — 
"  Her  house  is  the  way  to  hell,  going  down  to  the  chambers 
of  death,"  Prov.  vii.  27.  These  are  the  chambers  that  the 
chambers  in  the  temple,  or  that  the  dwelling-places  in  the 
house  in  heaven,  are  opposed  to  ;  and  this  opposition  shews, 
that  as  there  will  be  degrees  of  glory  in  heaven,  so  there 
will  of  torments  in  hell ;  and  there  is  all  reason  for  it,  since 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OP  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  Ill 

the  punishment  must  be  inflicted  by  God,  tlie  infinitely 
just.  Wh}'  should  a  poor,  silly,  ignorant  man,  though 
damned,  be  punished  with  the  same  degree  of  torment  that 
he  that  has  lived  a  thousand  times  worse  shall  be  punished 
with  ?  It  cannot  be  ;  justice  will  not  admit  it ;  guilt,  and 
the  quality  of  the  transgression  will  not  admit  it ;  yea,  the 
tormenting  fire  of  hell  itself  will  not  admit  it  ;  for  if  hell- 
fire  can  kindle  upon  nothing  but  sin,  and  the  sinner  for  the 
sake  of  it,  and  if  sin  be  as  oil  to  that  fire,  as  the  Holy 
Ghost  seems  to  intimate,  saying,  "  Let  it  come  into  his 
bowels  like  water,  and  like  oil  into  his  bones"  (Psalm  cix. 
17,  18),  then  as  the  quantity  of  the  oil  is,  so  will  the  fire 
burn,  and  so  will  the  flaming  flame  ascend,  and  the  smoke 
of  their  torment,  for  ever  and  ever.  Suppose  a  piece  of 
timber  a  little  bedaubed  with  oil,  and  another  that  hath 
been  soaking  in  it  many  a  year,  which  of  these  two,  think 
you,  would  burn  fiercest  ?  and  whence  would  the  flaming 
flame  ascend  highest  and  make  the  most  roaring  noise  ? 
Suppose  two  vessels  filled  with  oil,  one  containing  the 
quantity  of  a  pint,  the  other  containing  the  quantity  of  a 
Hogshead,  and  suppose  that  in  one  place  they  were  both 
set  on  fire,  yet  so  that  they  might  not  intermix  flames  ; 
nay,  though  they  did,  yet  all  would  conclude  that  the  most 
amazing  roaring  flame  would  be  upon  the  biggest  vessel, 
find  would  be  the  effect  of  the  greatest  quantity  of  oil ;  so 
it  will  be  with  the  wicked  in  hell,  the  lowest  hell  is  for  the 
biggest  sinners,  and  theirs  will  be  the  greater  damnation, 
and  the  more  intolerable  torment,  though  he  that  has  least 
of  this  oil  of  sin  in  his  bones,  and  of  the  kindlings  of  hell- 
fire  upon  him,  will  find  he  has  hell  enough,  and  will  be 
weary  enough  thereof,  for  still  he  must  struggle  with  flames 
that  are  everlasting  ;  for  sin  is  such  a  thing,  that  it  can 
never  be  burned  out  of  the  soul  and  body  of  a  damned 
sinner. 

But  again  ;  having  treated  thus  of  hell,  we  will  now  speak 
a  word  or  two  of  sin,  for  that  is  it  upon  which  hell-fire 
seizes,  and  so  on  the  soul  by  that.     Sin  \  it  is  the  sting  of 


112         THE  GREATNESS  OP  THE  SOUL,  AND 

hell — the  sting  of  death  is  sin.  By  "  death"  in  this  place  we 
must  not  understand  that  which  is  natural,  but  that  which 
is  in  hell,  the  second  death,  even  everlasting  damnation  ; 
for  natural  death  the  saints  die,  yea,  and  also  many  sinners, 
without  the  least  touch  of  a  sting  fi*om  that ;  but  here  is  a 
death  that  has  a  sting  to  hurt,  to  twinge,  and  wound  the 
sinner  with,  even  then  when  it  has  the  utmost  mastery  of 
him.  And  this  is  the  death  that  the  saved  are  delivered 
from  ;  not  that  which  is  natural,  for  that  is  the  end  of  them 
as  of  others  (1  Cor.  xv.  55  ;  Eccles.  ii.  15, 16)  ;  but  the  second 
death,  the  death  in  hell,  for  that  is  the  portion  of  the  damned, 
and  it  is  from  that  that  the  saints  have  a  promise  of  deli- 
verance — "  He  that  overcometh  shall  not  be  hurt  of  the 
second  death,"  Rev,  ii.  11.  And  again,  "  Blessed  and  holy 
is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection  ;  on  such  the 
second  death  hath  no  power,"  chap.  xx.  6.  It  is  this  death, 
then,  that  hath  the  chambers  to  hold  each  damned  soul  in ; 
and  sin  is  the  twining,  winding,  biting,  poisoning  sting  of 
this  death,  or  of  these  chambers  of  hell  for  sinners  to  be 
stricken,  stung,  and  pierced  with.  "  The  sting  of  death  is 
sin."  Sin  in  the  general  of  it  is  the  sting  of  hell,  for  there 
would  be  no  such  thing  as  torment  even  there  were  it  not 
that  sin  is  there  with  sinners  ;  for  as  I  have  hinted  already, 
the  fire  of  hell,  the  indignation  and  wrath  of  God,  can  fasten 
and  kindle  upon  nothing  but  for  or  because  of  sin  ;  sin  then, 
as  sin  is  the  sting  and  the  hell  of  hells,  of  the  lowest  and 
upmost  hells ;  sin,  I  say,  in  the  nature  of  it,  simply  as  it  is 
concluded  both  by  God  and  the  damned  to  be  a  breach  of 
his  holy  law,  so  it  is  the  sting  of  the  second  death,  which 
is  the  worm  of  hell.  But  then,  as  sin  is  such  a  sting  in 
itself,  so  it  is  heightened,  sharpened,  and  made  more  keen 
and  sharp  by  those  .circumstances  that  as  concomitants 
attend  it  in  every  act ;  for  there  is  not  a  sin  at  any  time 
committed  by  man  but  there  is  some  circumstance  or  other 
attends  it  that  makes  it,  when  charged  home  by  God's  law, 
bigger  and  sharper,  and  more  venom  and  poisonous  to  the 
soul  than  if  it  could  be  committed  without  it ;  and  this 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  OF  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  113 

is  the  sting  of  the  hornet,  the  great  sting.  I  sinned  without 
a  cause  to  please  a  base  lust,  to  gratify  the  devil ;  here  is 
the  sting.  Again  ;  I  preferred  sin  before  holiness,  death 
before  life,  hell  before  heaven,  the  devil  before  God,  and 
damnation  before  a  Saviour  ;  here  is  the  sting.  Again  ;  I 
preferred  moments  before  everlastings,  temporals  before 
eternals,  to  be  racked  and  always  slaying  before  the  life 
that  is  blessed  and  endless  ;  here  is  the  sting.  Also,  this  I 
did  against  light,  against  convictions,  against  conscience, 
against  persuasion  of  friends,  ministers,  and  the  godly  lives 
which  I  beheld  in  others  ;  here  is  -the  sting.  Also,  this  I 
did  against  warnings,  forewarnings,  yea,  though  I  saw  others 
fall  before  my  face  by  the  mighty  hand  of  God  for  commit- 
ting of  the  same  ;  here  is  the  sting. 

Sinners,  would  I  could  persuade  you  to  hear  me  out.  A 
man  cannot  commit  a  sin  but  by  the  commission  of  it  he 
doth  by  some  circumstance  or  other  sharpen  the  sting  of 
hell,  and  that  to  pierce  himself  through,  and  through,  and 
through  with  many  sorroAvs,  1  Tim.  vi.  10.  Also,  the  sting  of 
hell  to  some  will  be,  that  the  damnation  of  others  stands  upon 
their  score,  for  that  by  imitating  of  them,  by  being  deluded 
by  them,  persuaded  by  them,  drawn  in  by  them,  they  perish 
in  hell  for  ever  ;  and  hence  it  is  that  these  principaf  sinners 
must  die  all  these  deaths  in  themselves  that  those  damned 
ones  that  they  have  drawn  into  hell  are  also  to  bear  in  their 
own  souls  for  ever.  And  this  God  threatened  to  the  prince 
of  Tyrus,  that  capital  sinner,  because  by  his  pride,  power, 
practice,  and  policy,  he  cast  down  others  into  the  pit ;  there- 
fore saith  God  to  him,  "  They  shall  bring  thee  down  to  the 
pit,  and  thou  shalt  die  the  deaths  of  them  that  are  slain  in 
the  midst  of  the  seas."  And  again  ;  "  Thou  shalt  die  the 
deaths  of  the  uncircumcised  by  the  hand  of  strangers  ;  for 
1  have  spoken  it,  saith  the  Lord."  Ah  !  this  will  be  the 
sting  of  them,  of  those  that  are  principal,  chief,  and,  as  I 
may  call  them,  the  captain  and  ringleading  sinners.  Vipers 
will  come  out  of  other  men's  fire  and  flames,  and  settle 
upon,  seize  upon,  and  for  ever  abide  upon  their  consciences, 

H 


114  THE  GREATNESS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AND 

and  this  will  be  the  sting  of  hell,  the  great  sting  of  hell  to 
them. 

I  will  yet  add  to  this  ;  how  will  the  fairness  of  some  for 
heaven,  even  the  thoughts  of  that,  sting  them  when  they 
come  to  hell.  It  will  not  he  so  much  their  fall  into  the 
pit,  as  from  whence  they  fell  into  it,  that  will  be  to  them 
the  buzzing  noise  and  sharpened  sting  of  the  great  and  ter- 
rible hornet.  "  How  art  thou  fallen  from  heaven,  0 
Lucifer  !"  there  is  the  sting,  Isa.  xiv.  12  ;  Matt.  xi.  23. 
Thou  that  art  exalted  up  to  heaven  shalt  be  thrust  down  to 
hell,  though  thou  hast  nfade  thy  nest  among  the  stars,  from 
thence  will  I  fetch  thee  down  ;  there  is  a  sting,  Obad,  4. 
To  be  pulled,  for  and  through  love  to  some  vain  lust,  from 
the  everlasting  gates  of  glory,  and  caused  to  be  swallowed 
up  for  it  in  the  belly  of  hell,  and  made  to  lodge  for  ever 
in  the  darksome  chambers  of  death,  there  is  the  piercing 
sting. 

But  again  ;  as  there  is  the  sting  of  hell,  so  there  is  the 
strength  of  that  sting  ;  for  a  sting,  though  never  so  sharp 
or  venom,  yet  if  it  wanteth  strength  to  force  it  to  the  de- 
signed execution,  it  doth  but  little  hurt.  But  this  sting 
has  strength  to  cause  it  to  pierce  into  the  soul  ;  the  sting  of 
death  is  sin,  and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law,  1  Cor.  xv. 
56  ;  Rom.  iv.  15  ;  vii.  8.  Here  then  is  the  strength  of  the 
sting  of  hell  ;  it  is  the  law  in  the  perfect  penalty  of  it ;  for 
without  the  law,  sin  is  dead.  Yea,  again  he  saith,  where 
no  law  is,  there  is  no  transgression  ;  the  law  then  folio weth, 
in  the  executive  part  of  it,  the  soul  into  hell,  and  there 
strengtheneth  sin,  that  sting  in  hell,  to  pierce  by  its  unutter- 
able charging  of  it  on  the  conscience,  the  soul  for  ever  and 
ever  ;  nor  can  the  soul  justly  murmur  or  repine  at  God  or 
at  his  law,  for  that  then  the  sharply  apprehensive  soul  will 
well  discern  the  justness,  righteousness,  reasonableness,  and 
goodness  of  the  law,  and  that  nothing  is  done  by  the  law 
\mto  it  but  that  which  is  just  and  equal. 

This  therefore  will  put  great  strength  and  force  into  sin 
to  sting  the  soul,  and  to  strike  it  with  the  lashes  of  a  scor- 


UNSPEAKABLENESS  01'  THE  LOSS  THEREOF.  115 

pion.  And  yet  to  these  the  abiding  life  of  God,  the  Judge 
and  God  of  this  law,  will  never  die.  When  princes  die,  the 
law  may  be  altered  by  the  which  at  present  transgressors 
are  bomid  in  chains  ;  but,  oh  !  here  is  also  that  w^hich  will 
make  this  sting  so  sharp  and  keen,  the  God  that  executes  it 
will  never  die.  "  It  is 
of  the  Uving  God,"  Heb.  x.  30,  31. 


J  U  S  T  1 1 1  C  A  T  I  0  E 

BT 

AN    IMPUTED    RIGHTEOUSNESS; 

OK, 

NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN  BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST. 


JUSTIFICATION 
AN  IMPUTED  RIGHTEOUSNESS; 

OR, 

NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN  BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST. 


Justification  is  to  be  diversly  taken  in  the  scripture. 

1.  Sometimes  it  is  taken  for  the  justification  of  persons. 

2.  Sometimes  for  the  justification  of  actions. 

3.  And  sometimes  for  the  justification  of  tlie  person  and 
action  too. 

It  is  taken  for  the  justification  of  persons,  and  thatj 

(1.)  As  to  justification  with  God  ;  or, 

(2.)  As  to  justification  with  men. 

As  to  justification  with  God — that  is,  when  a  man  stands 
clear,  quit,  free,  or,  in  a  saved  condition  before  him,  in  the 
approbation  of  his  holy  law. 

As  to  justification  with  men — that  is,  when  a  man  stands 
clear  and  quit  from  just  ground  of  reprehension  with  them. 

Justification  also  is  to  be  taken  with  reference  to  actions ; 
and  that  may  be  when  they  are  considered, 

1.  As  flowing  from  true  faith  ;  or, 

2,  Because  the  act  done  fulfils  some  transient  law. 

(1.)  As  actions  flow  fi'om  faith,  so  they  are  justified,  be- 
cause done  before  God  in,  and  made  complete  through,  the 
perfections  of  Jesus  Christ,  1  Pet.  ii.  5  ;  Heb.  xiii.  15  ; 
Rev.  viii,  1-4. 

(2.)  As  by  the  doing  of  the  act  some  transient  law  is  ful- 
filled ;  as  when  Jehu  executed  judgment  upon  the  house  of 
Ahab — "  Thou  hast  done  well,"  said  God  to  him,  "  in  exe- 


120  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

cuting  that  which  is  righteous  in  mine  eyes,  and  hast  done 
to  the  house  of  Ahab  all  that  was  in  mine  heart,"  2  Kings, 
X.  30. 

As  to  such  acts,  God  may  or  may  not  look  at  the  quali- 
fication of  those  that  do  them  ;  and  it  is  clear  that  he  had 
not  respect  to  any  good  that  was  in  Jehu,  in  the  justifying 
of  this  action  ;  nor  could  he,  for  Jehu  stuck  close  yet  to 
the  sins  of  Jeroboam,  but  "  took  no  heed  to  walk  in  the 
law  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,"  chap.  x.  29,  31. 

I  might  hence  also  shew  you,  that  a  man  may  be  justi- 
fied even  then  when  his  action  is  condemned  ;  also  that  a 
man  may  be  in  a  state  of  condemnation,  when  his  action 
may  be  justified.  But  with  these  distinctions  I  will  not 
take  up  time,  my  intention  being  to  treat  of  justification, 
as  it  sets  a  man  free  or  quit  from  sin,  the  curse  and  con- 
demnation of  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God,  in  order  to  eternal 
salvation. 

And  that  I  may  with  the  more  clearness  handle  this  point 
before  you,  I  will  lay  do-\vn  and  speak  to  this  proposition — 

That  there  is  no  other  way  for  sinners  to  be  justified 
from  the  curse  of  the  laAV  in  the  sight  of  God,  than 
by  the  imputation  of  that  righteousness  long  ago 
performed  by,  and  still  residing  with,  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ.  •    - 

The  terms  of  this  proposition  are  easy ;  yet  if  it  will 
help,  I  will  speak  a  word  or  two  for  explication. 

(1.)  By  a  sinner,  I  mean  one  that  has  transgressed  the 
law  ;  for  "  sin  is  the  transgression  of  the  law,"  1  John,  iii.  4. 

(2.)  By'  the  curse  of  the  law,  I  mean  that  sentence, 
judgment,  or  condemnation  which  the  law  pronoimceth 
against  the  transgressor.  Gal.  iii.  10. 

(3.)  By  justifying  righteousness,  I  mean  that  which 
stands  in  the  doing  and  suffering  of  Christ  when  he  was  in 
the  world  ;  Rom.  v.  19. 

(4.)  By  the  residing  of  this  righteousness  in  Christ's  per- 
son, I  mean,  it  still  abides  with  him  as  to  the  action,  though 
the  benefit  is  bestowed  upon  those  that  are  his. 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  121 

(5.)  By  the  imputation  of  it  to  us,  I  mean  God's  making 
of  it  ours  by  an  act  of  his  grace,  that  we  by  it  might  be 
secured  fi-om  tlie  curse  of  the  law. 

(6.)  When  I  say  there  is  no  other  way  to  be  justified,  I 
cast  away  to  that  end  the  law,  and  all  the  works  of  the  law 
as  done  by  us. 

Thus  I  have  opened  the  terms  of  the  proposition. 

Now  the  two  first — to  wit.  What  sin  and  the  curse  is, 
stand  clear  in  all  men's  sight,  unless  they  be  atheists,  or 
desperately  heretical.  I  shall  therefore  in  few  words, 
clear  the  other  four. 

First,  Therefore  justifying  righteousness  is  the  doing 
and  suff^ering  of  Christ  when  he  was  in  the  w^orld.  This 
is  clear,  because  w^e  are  said  to  be  "  justified  by  his  obe- 
dience," Rom.  V.  19  ;  by  his  obedience  to  the  law.  Hence 
he  is  said  again  to  be  the  end  of  the  law  for  that  very  thing — 
''  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law"  for  righteousness,"  &c., 
Rom.  X.  4.  The  end,  what  is  that  ?  Why,  the  requirement 
or  demand  of  the  law.  But  what  is  it  1  Why,  right- 
eousness, perfect  righteousness,  Gal.  iii,  10.  Perfect  right- 
eousness, what  to  do  ?  That  the  soul  concerned  might 
stand  spotless  in  the  sight  of  God,  Rev.  i.  v.  Now  this 
lies  only  in  the  doings  and  sufferings  of  Christ ;  for  "  by 
his  obedience  many  are  made  righteous  ;"  wherefore  as 
to  this  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law,  that  being  found  in 
that  obedience,  that  becomes  to  us  sufficient  for  our  justifi- 
cation. Hence,  we  are  said  to  be  made  righteous  by  his  obe- 
dience ;  yea,  and  to  be  w^ashed,  purged,  and  justified  by  his 
blood,  Heb  ix.  14  ;  Romans,  v.  18,  19. 

Secondly^  That  this  righteousness  still  resides  in  and  with 
the  person  of  Christ,  even  then  when  we  stand  just  before 
God  thereby,  is  clear,  for  that  we  are  said  when  justified 
to  be  justified  "  in  him." — "  In  the  Lord  shall  ail  the  seed 
of  Israel  be  justified."  And  again ;  "  Surely,  shall  one  sa,y, 
in  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness,"  &c.  And  again  ;  "  For 
him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  is  made  unto  us  of  God 
righteousness^"  Isa.  xlv.  24,  25  ;  1  Cor.  i.  30. 

Mai-k,  the  righteousness  is  still  "in  liim,"  not  "in  us ;"  even 


12'2  NO  WAT  TO  HEAVEN 

then  when  we  are  made  partakers  of  the  benefit  of  it,  even 
as  the  wing  and  feathers  still  abide  in  the  hen  when  the 
chickens  are  covered,  kept,  and  warmed  thereby. 

For  as  my  doings,  though  my  children  are  fed  and  clothed 
thereby,  are  still  my  doings,  not  theirs,  so  the  rigiiteous- 
ness  wherewith  we  stand  just  before  God  from  the  curse 
still  resides  in  Christ,  not  in  us.  Our  sins  when  laid  upon 
Christ  were  yet  personally  ours,  not  his  ;  so  his  righteous- 
ness when  put  upon  us  is  yet  personally  his,  not  ours. 
What  is  it,  then?  Why,  "  he  was  made  to  be  sin  for  us, 
Avho  knew  no  sin  ;  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness 
of  God  in  him,"  2  Cor.  v.  21. 

Thirdly,  It  is  therefore  of  a  justifying  virtue  only  by 
imputation,  or  as  God  reckoneth  it  to  us  ;  even  as  our  sins 
made  the  Lord  Jesus  a  sinner — nay,  sin,  by  God's  reckoning 
of  them  to  him. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  that  this  be  kno^vn  of  us  ;  for 
if  the  understanding  be  muddy  as  to  this,  it  is  impossible 
that  such  should  be  sound  in  the  faith  ;  also  in  tempta- 
tion, that  man  will  be  at  a  loss  that  looketh  for  a  right- 
eousness for  justification  in  himself,  when  it  is  to  be  found 
nowhere  but  in  Jesus  Christ. 

The  apostle,  who  was  his  craftsmaster  as  to  this,  was 
always  "  looking  to  Jesus,"  that  he  "  might  be  found  in 
him"  (Phil.  iii.  6-8),  knowing  that  nowhere  else  could 
peace  or  safety  be  had. 

And  indeed  this  is  one  of  the  greatest  mysteries  in  the 
world — namely,  that  a  righteousness  that  resides  with  a 
person  in  heaven  should  justify  me,  a  sinner,  on  earth. 

Fourthly/,  Therefore  the  law  and  the  works  thereof,  as  to 
this  must  by  us  be  cast  away  ;  not  only  because  they  here 
are  useless,  but  also  they  being  retained  are  a  hindrance. 
That  tliey  are  useless  is  evident,  for  that  salvation  comes 
by  another  name.  Acts,  iv.  12.  And  that  they  are  a  hin- 
drance, it  is  clear,  for  the  very  adhering  to  the  law,  though 
it  be  but  a  little,  or  in  a  little  part,  prevents  justification 
by  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  Rom.  ix.  31,  32. 

What  shall  I  say  ?  As  to  thiri,  tbe  moral  law  is  rejecte<l, 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  123 

the  ceremonial  law  is  rejected,  and  man's  righteousness  is 
rejected,  for  that  they  are  here  hoth  weak  and  unprofitable, 
Rom.  viii.  2,  3  ;  Gal.  iii.  21  ;  Heb.  x.  1-12. 

Now  if  all  these  and  their  works  as  to  our  justification  are 
rejected,  where  but  in  Christ  is  righteousness  to  be  found  ? 

Thus  much,  therefore,  for  the  explication  of  the  proposi- 
tion— namely,  that  there  is  no  other  way  for  sinners  to  be 
justified  fi'om  the  curse  of  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God  than 
by  the  imputation  of  that  righteousness  long  ago  performed 
by,  and  still  residing  with,  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Now,  from  this  proposition  I  draw  these  two  positions — 

First,  That  men  are  justified  from  the  curse  of  the  law 
before  God  while  sinners  in  themselves. 

Secondly,  That  this  can  be  done  by  no  other  righteous- 
ness than  that  long  ago  performed  by,  and  residing  with, 
the  person  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Let  us,  then,  now  enter  into  the  consideration  of  the  first 
of  these — namely,  That  men  are  justified  from  the  curse  of 
the  law  before  God  while  sinners  in  themselves. 

This  I  shall  manifest, 

1.  By  touching  upon  the  mysterious  acts  of  our  redemp- 
tion. 

2.  By  giving  of  you  plain  texts  which  discover  it ;  and, 

3.  By  reasons  drawn  from  the  texts. 

For  the  first  of  these  ;  to  wit,  the  mysterious  act  of  our 
redemption  :  and  that  I  shall  speak  to  under  these  two 
heads — 

1 .  I  shall  shew  you  what  that  is  ;  and, 

2.  Hovj  we  are  concerned  therein. 

That  which  I  call,  and  that  rightly,  the  mysterious  act 
of  our  redemption,  is  Christ's  sufferings  as  a  common, 
though  a  particular  person  and  as  a  sinner,  though  always 
completely  righteous. 

That  he  suffered  as  a  common  person  is  true.  By  com- 
mon, I  mean  a  public  person,  or  one  that  presents  the  body 
of  mankind  in  himself.  This  a  multitude  of  scriptures 
bear  witness  to,  especially  that  fifth  chapter  to  the  Ro- 
mans, where  by  the  apostle  he  is  set  before  us  as  the  head 


124  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

of  all  the  elect,  even  as  Adam  was  once  head  of  all  the 
world.  Thus  he  lived,  and  thus  he  died ;  and  this  was  a 
mysterious  act. 

And  that  he  should  die  as  a  sinner,  when  yet  himself  did 
"  no  sin,  nor  had  any  guile  found  in  his  mouth,"  made 
this  act  more  mysterious,  1  Pet.  i.  19;  ii..22;  iii.  18. 
That  he  died  as  a  sinner  is  plain — "  He  hath  made  him  to 
be  sin.  And  the  Lord  laid  upon  him  the  iniquity  of  us 
all,"  Isaiah,  liii.  That,  then,  as  to  his  ovm  person  he 
was  completely  sinless  is  also  as  truly  manifest,  and  that 
by  a  multitude  of  scriptures. 

Now,  I  say,  that  Christ  Jesus  should  be  thus  considered, 
and  thus  die,  was  the  great  mystery  of  God.  Hence  Paul 
tells  us,  that  when  he  preached  "Christ  crucified,"  he  preach- 
ed not  only  the  "  wisdom  of  God,"  but  the  "  wisdom  of  God 
in  a  mystery,"  even  his  ''  hidden  wisdom,"  for,  indeed,  this 
wisdom  is  hidden,  and  kept  close  fi-om  the  "  fowls  of  the 
air,"  1  Cor.  i.  23;  ii.  7,  8;  Job,  xxviii.  20,  21. 

It  is  also  so  mysterious,  that  it  goes  beyond  the  reach  of 
all  men,  except  those  to  whom  an  understanding  is  given 
of  God  to  apprehend  it,  1  John,  v.  20. 

That  one  particular  man  should  represent  all  the  elect  in 
himself,  and  that  the  most  righteous  should  die  as  a  sinner, 
yea,  as  a  sinner  by  the  hand  of  a  just  and  holy  God,  is  a 
mystery  of  the  greatest  depth. 

Secondly,  And  now  I  come  to  shew  you  how  the  elect 
are  concerned  therein  ;  that  is,  in  this  mysterious  act  of  this 
most  blessed  One  ;  and  this  will  make  this  act  yet  more 
mysterious  to  you. 

Now,  then,  we  will  speak  of  this  first,  as  to  how  Christ 
prepared  himself  thus  mysteriously  to  act. 

1.  He  took  hold  of  our  nature.  I  say,  he  took  hold  of 
us,  by  taking  upon  him  flesh  and  blood.  The  Son  of  God 
therefore,  took  not  upon  him  a  particular  person,  though 
he  took  to  him  a  human  body  and  soul;  but  that  which  he 
took  was,  as  I  may  call  it,  a  lump  of  the  common  na- 
ture of  man,  and  by  that,  hold  of  the  whole  elect  seed  of 
Abraham ;  Heb.  ii.  IC,  "  For  verily  he  took  not  on  him 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  125 

the   nature  of  angels,   but  he  took  on  him  the  seed  of 
Abraham." 

Hence  he,  in  a  mystery,  became  us,  and  was  counted 
as  all  the  men  that  were  or  should  be  saved.  And  this  is 
the  reason  why  we  are  said  to  do,  when  only  Jesus  Christ 
did  do.     As  for  instance — 

First,  When  Jesus  Christ  fulfilled  the  righteousness  of* 
the  law,  it  is  said  it  was  fulfilled  in  us,  because  indeed  ful- 
filled in  our  nature  :  "  For  what  the  law  could  not  do,  in 
that  it  was  weak  through  the  flesh;  God  sending  his  own 
Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  condemned 
sin  in  the  flesh,  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  might  be 
fulfilled  in  us,"  &c.  But  because  none  should  appropriate 
this  unto  themselves  that  have  not  had  passed  upon  them  a 
work  of  conversion,  therefore  he  adds,  "  Who  walk  not 
after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit."  For  there  being  a 
union  between  head  and  members,  though  things  may  be 
done  by  the  head,  and  that  for  the  members,  the  things 
are  counted  to  the  members,  as  if  not  done  only  by  the 
head.  The  "  righteousness  of  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  us ;"  and 
that  truly,  because  fulfilled  in  that  common  nature  which 
the  Son  of  God  took  of  the  Virgin.  Wherefore,  in  this 
sense  we  are  said  to  do  what  only  was  done  by  him  ;  even 
as  the  client  doth  by  his  lawyer,  when  his  lawyer  person- 
ates him ;  the  client  is  said  to  do,  when  it  is  the  lawyer 
only  that  does  ;  and  to  overcome  by  doing,  when  it  is  the 
lawyer  that  overcomes  ;  the  reason  is,  because  the  lawyer 
does  in  the  client's  name.  How  much  more  then  may  it 
be  said  loe  do,  when  only  Christ  does ;  since  he  does  what 
he  does,  not  in  our  name  only,  but  in  our  nature  too ;  "  for 
the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ  (not  in  me)  has 
set  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death,"  Rom.  viii. 
1-3  ;  he  doing  in  his  common  flesh  what  could  not  be  done 
in  my  particular  person,  that  so  I  might  have  the  right- 
eousness of  the  law  fulfilled  in  me,  my  flesh  assumed  by 
Christ  ;  though  impossible  to  be  done,  because  of  the  weak- 
ness of  my  person. 

The  reason  of  all  this  is,  because  we  are  said  to  be  in 


126  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

him  in  his  doing,  in  him  hy  our  flesh,  and  aiso  oy  tii'^ 
election  of  God.  So,  then,  as  all  men  sinned  when  Adam 
fell,  so  all  the  elect  did  righteousness  when  Christ  wrought 
and  fulfilled  the  law  ;  for  "  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in 
Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive." 

Secondly,  As  w^e  are  said  to  do  hy  Christ,  so  we  are  said 
to  suffer  hy  him,  to  suffer  with  him.  "  I  am  crucified  with 
Christ,"  said  Paul.  And  again ;  "  Forasmuch,  then,  as  Christ 
hath  suffered  far  us  in  the  flesh,  arm  yourselves  likewise 
with  the  same  mind  ;  for  he  that  hath  suffered  in  the  flesh 
hath  ceased  from  sin,"  1  Pet.  iv.  1,  2.  Mark  how  the 
apostle  seems  to  change  the  person.  First  he  says,  it  is 
Christ  that  suffered ;  and  that  is  true  ;  hut  then  he  insinu- 
ates that  it  is  us  that  suffered,  for  the  exhortation  is  to 
believers,  "to  walk  in  newTiess  of  life;"  and  the  argu- 
ment is,  because  they  have  suffered  in  the  flesh  :  "  For  he 
that  hath  suffered  in  the  flesh,  hath  ceased  from  sin  ;  that 
he  no  longer  should  live  the  rest  of  his  time  in  the  flesh  to 
the  lusts  of  men,  but  to  the  will  of  God,"  Gal.  ii.  20. 

We  then  suffered  when  Christ  suffered  ;  we  then  suffered 
in  his  flesh  and  also  our  "  old  man  was  crucified  with  him," 
Rom.  vi.  6  ;  that  is,  in  his  crucifixion  ;  for  when  he  hanged 
on  the  cross,  all  the  elect  hanged  there  in  their  common 
flesh  which  he  assumed,  and  because  he  suffered  there  as  a 
public  man. 

Thirdly,  As  we  are  said  to  suffer  with  him,  so  we  are 
said  to  die,  to  be  dead  with  him  ;  with  him,  that  is,  by  the 
dying  of  his  body  :  "  Now,  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we 
believe  that  we  shall  also  live  with  him,"  Rom.  vi.  8. 

Wherefore  he  saith  in  other  places,  "  Brethren,  ye  are 
become  dead  to  the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ ;"  for  indeed 
we  died  then  to  it  by  him.  To  the  law — -that  is,  the  law  now 
has  nothing  to  do  with  us  ;  for  that  it  has  already  execu- 
ted its  curse  to  the  full  upon  us  by  its  slaying  of  the  body 
of  Christ ;  for  the  body  of  Christ  was  our  flesh,  upon  it  also 
was  laid  our  sin.  The  law,  too,  spent  that  curse  that  was 
due  to  us  upon  him  when  it  condemned,  killed,  and  cast 
him  into  the  grave.    Wherefore,  it  having  thus  spent  its 


BUT  BY  JESTJB  CHRIST.  127 

whole  curse  upon  him  as  standing  in  our  stead,  we  are  ex- 
empted from  its  curse  for  ever;  we  are  become  dead  to 
it  by  that  body,  Rom.  vii.  4  ;  it  has  done  with  us  as  to 
justifying  righteousness.  Nor  need  we  fear  its  damning 
threats  any  more ;  for  by  the  death  of  this  body  we  are 
freed  fi-om  it,  and  are  for  ever  now  coupled  to  a  living 
Christ. 

Fourthly,  As  we  are  said  thus  to  be  dead,  so  we  are  said 
also  to  rise  again  by  him — "  Thy  dead  men"  (saith  he  to 
the  Father)  "  shall  live,  together 'with  my  dead  body  shall 
they  arise."  And  again ;  "  After  two  days  he  will  revive 
us,  and  in  the  third  day  we  shall  live  in  his  sight,"  Isaiah, 
xxvi.  19  ;  Hos.  vi.  2. 

Both  these  scriptures  speak  of  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  of  the  resurrection  of  his  bod^r  on  the  third  day  ; 
but  behold,  as  we  were  said  before  to  suffer  and  be  dead 
with  him,  so  now  we  are  said  also  to  rise  and  live  in  God's 
sight  by  the  resurrection  of  his  body  ;  for,  as  was  said,  the 
flesh  was  ours ;  he  took  part  of  our  flesh  when  he  came  into 
ihe  world  ;  and  in  it  he  "  suffered,  died,  and  rose  again," 
Heb,  ii.  14.  We  also  were  therefore  counted  by  God  in 
that  God-man  when  he  did  this  ;  yea,  he  suff'ered,  died,  and 
rose  as  a  common  head. 

Hence  also  the  New  Testament  is  full  of  this,  saying,  "  If 
ye  be  dead  with  Christ."  "  If  ye  be  risen  with  Christ." 
And  again  ;  "  He  hath  quickened  us  together  with  him," 
Col.  ii.  20 ;  iii.  1  ;  and  ii.  13. 

"  We  are  quickened  together  with  him."  "  Quickened,"  and 
"  quickened  together  with  him."  The  apostle  hath  words 
that  cannot  easily  be  shifted  or  evaded.  Christ  then  was 
quickened  when  he  was  raised  from  the  dead.  Nor  is  it 
proper  to  say  that  he  was  ever  quickened  either  before  or 
since.  This  text  also  concludes  that  we — ^to  wit,  the  whole 
body  of  God's  elect,  were  also  quickened  then,  and  made  to 
live  with  him  together.  True,  we  also  are  quickened  per- 
sonally by  grace  the  day  in  the  which  we  are  bom  unto 
God  by  the  gospel ;  yet  before  that  we  are  quickened  in  our 


128  NO  WAT  TO  HEAVEN 

head ;  quickened  when  he  was  raised  from  the  dead  ;  quick- 
ened together  with  him. 

Fifthly,  Nor  are  we  thus  considered — to  wit,  as  dying 
and  rising,  and  so  left.  But  the  apostle  pursues  his  argu- 
ment, and  tells  us  that  we  also  reap  by  him,  as  being  con- 
sidered in  him,  the  benefit  which  Christ  received,  both  in 
order  to  his  resurrection,  and  the  blessed  effect  thereof. 
,  1.  We  received,  by  our  thus  being  counted  in  him,  that 
benefit  which  did  precede  his  rising  from  the  dead  ;  and 
what  was  that  but  the  forgiveness  of  sins  %  For  this  stands 
clear  to  reason,  that  if  Christ  had  our  sins  charged  upon 
him  at  his  death,  he  then  must  be  discharged  of  them  in 
order  to  his  resurrection.  Now,  though  it  is  not  proper  to 
say  they  were  forgiven  to  him,  because  they  were  purged 
from  him  by  merit,  yet  they  may  be  said  to  be  forgiven  us, 
because  we  receive  this  benefit  by  grace. 

And  this,  I  say,  was  done  precedent  to  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead  :  '*  He  hath  quickened  us  together  w^ith  him, 
having  forgiven  us  all  trespasses."  He  could  not  be 
"  quickened"  till  we  were  "discharged ;"  because  it  was  not 
for  himself,  but  for  us,  that  he  died.  Hence  we  are  said  to 
be  at  that  time,  as  to  our  o^vn  personal  estate,  dead  in  our 
sins,  even  when  we  are  "  quickened  together  with  him," 
Col.  ii.  13. 

Therefore  both  the  "  quickening"  and  "  forgiveness"  too, 
so  far  as  we  are  in  this  text  concerned,  is  to  him,  as  we  are 
considered  in  him  or  to  him,  with  respect  to  us. 

Having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses.  For  necessity  so 
required  ;  because  else  how  was  it  possible  that  the  pains  of 
death  should  be  loosed  in  order  to  his  rising,  so  long  as  one 
sin  stood  still  charged  to  him,  as  that  for  the  commission  of 
which  God  had  not  received  a  plenary  satisfaction  ?  As 
therefore  we  suffered,  died,  and  rose  again  by  him  ;  so,  in 
order  to  his  so  rising,  he,  as  presenting  of  us  in  his  person 
and  suffering,  received  for  us  remission  of  all  our  trespasses. 
A  full  discharge  therefore  was,  in  and  by  Christ,  received 
of  God  of  all  our  sins  before  he  arose  from  the  dead  ;  as  his 
resurrection  truly  declared  ;  for  "  he  was  delivered  for  our 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  129 

offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justification,"  Rom. 
iv.  25. 

This  therefore  is  one  of  the  privileges  we  receive  by  the 
rising  again  of  our  Lord  ;  for  that  we  were  in  his  flesh  con- 
sidered, yea,  and  in  his  death  and  suffering  too. 

2.  By  this  means  also  we  have  now  escaped  death. 
"  Knowing  that  Christ  being  raised  from  the  dead,  dieth  no 
more  ;  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over  him.  For  in 
that  he  died,  he  died  unto  (or,  for)  sin  once  ;  but  in  that 
he  liveth,  he  liveth  imto  God,"  Rom.  vi.  9,  10. 

Now  in  all  this,  considering  what  has  been  said  before, 
we  that  are  of  the  elect  are  privileged,  for  that  we  also 
are  raised  up  by  the  rising  of  the  body  of  Christ  from  the 
dead.  And  thus  the  apostle  bids  us  reckon — "  Likewise 
reckon  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive 
imto  God  through  Jesus  Christ,"  Rom.  vi.  11. 

Hence  Christ  says,  "  he  is  the  resurrection  and  the  life," 
for  that  all  his  are  safe  in  him,  suffering,  dying,  and  rising. 
He  is  the  life,  our  life  ;  yea,  so  our  life  that  by  him  the 
elect  do  live  before  God,  even  then  when  as  to  themselves 
they  yet  are  dead  in  their  sins.  Wherefore,  hence  it  is  that 
in  time  they  partake  of  quickening  grace  from  this  their 
head,  to  the  making  of  them  also  live  by  faith,  in  order  to 
their  living  hereafter  with  him  in  glory  ;  for  if  Christ 
lives,  they  cannot  die  that  were  sharers  with  him  in  his 
resurrection.  Hence  they  are  said  to  "  live,"  being  "  quick- 
ened together  with  him."  Also,  as  sure  as  at  his  resurrec- 
tion they  lived  "  hy  him,"  so  sure  at  his  coming  shall  they  be 
gathered  "  to  him  ;"  nay,  from  that  day  to  this  all  that,  as 
aforesaid,  were  in  him  at  his  death  and  resurrection,  are 
already,  in  the  "  fulness  of  the  dispensation  of  time,"  daily 
"  gathering  to  him."  For  this  he  hath  purposed,  wherefore 
none  can  disannul  it — "In  the  fulness  of  the  dispen- 
sation of  time,  to  gather  together  in  one  aJl  things  in 
Christ,  both  which  are  in  heaven  and  which  are  in  earth, 
even  in  him,"  Eph.  i.  9,  10. 

3.  To  secure  this  the  more  to  our  faith  that  believe,  as 
we  are  said  to  be  "  raised  up  together  with  him,"  so  we  are 

I 


130  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

said  "  to  be  made  to  sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ 
Jesus  ;"  Eph.  ii.  6.  We  died  by  him,  we  rose  by  him,  and 
are  together,  even  all  the  elect  set  down  together  in  "  hea- 
venly places  in  Christ  Jesus  ;"  for  still  even  now  he  is  on 
the  right  hand  of  God  ;  he  is  to  be  considered  as  our  pub- 
lic man,  our  head,  and  so  one  in  whom  is  concluded  all 
the  elect  of  God.  We  then  are  by  him  already  in  heaven  ; 
in  heaven,  I  say,  by  him  ;  yea,  set  dovm  there  in  our 
places  of  glory  by  him.  Hence  the  apostle,  speaking  of 
us  again,  saith,  that  as  we  are  predestinate,  we  are  called, 
justified,  and  glorified  ;  called,  justified,  glorified,  all  is 
done,  already  done,  as  thus  considered  in  Christ,  Rom. 
viii.  30.  For  that  in  his  public  work  there  is  nothing  yet 
to  do  as  to  this.  Is  not  he  called  ?  Is  not  he  justified  ? 
Is  not  he  glorified  ?  And  are  we  not  in  him,  in  him,  even 
as  so  considered  ? 

Nor  doth  this  doctrine  hinder  or  forestal  the  doctrine  of 
regeneration  or  conversion  ;  nay,  it  lays  a  foundation  for 
it  ;  for  by  this  doctrine  we  gather  assurance  that  Christ 
will  have  his  own  ;  for  if  already  they  live  in  their  head, 
what  is  that  but  a  pledge  that  they  shall  live  in  their  per- 
sons with  him  ?  and,  consequently,  that  to  that  end  they 
shall,  in  the  times  allotted  for  that  end,  be  called  to  a  state 
of  faith,  which  God  has  ordained  shall  precede  and  go  be- 
fore their  personal  enjoyment  of  glory. 

Nor  doth  this  hinder  their  partaking  of  the  symbol  of 
regeneration,  and  of  their  other  privileges  to  which  they 
are  called  in  the  day  of  grace  ;  yea,  it  lays  a  foundation 
for  all  these  things  ;  for  if  I  am  dead  with  Christ,  let  me 
be  like  one  dead  with  him,  even  to  all  things  to  which 
Christ  died  when  he  hanged  on  the  tree  ;  and  then  he  died 
to  sin,  to  the  law,  and  to  the  rudiments  of  this  world, 
Rom.  vi.  10  ;  vii.  4  ;  Col.  ii.  20. 

And  if  I  be  risen  with  Christ,  let  me  live,  like  one  born 
from  the  dead,  in  newness  of  life,  and  having  my  mind 
and  affections  on  the  things  where  Christ  now  sitteth  on 
the  right  hand  of  God.  And  indeed  he  professes  in  vain 
that  talketh  of  these  things,  and  careth  not  to  have  them 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  131 

also  answered  in  himself.  This  was  the  apostle  s  way — 
namely,  "  To  covet  to  know  him,  and  the  power  of  his  re- 
surrection, and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being  made 
conformable  to  his  death,"  Phil.  iii.  9-13. 

And  when  we  are  thus,  that  thing  is  true  both  in  him 
and  us.  Then  as  is  the  heavenly,  such  are  they  that  are 
heavenly  ;  for  he  that  saith  he  is  in  him,  and  by  being  in 
him  a  partaker  of  these  privileges  by  him,  "  ought  himself 
so  to  walk,  even  as  he  walked,"  1  Cor.  xv.  48  ;  1  John, 
ii.  6.  8. 

But  to  pass  this  digression,  and  to  come  to  my  argu- 
ment— namely,  that  men  are  justified  from  the  ciu-se  of  the 
law  before  God  while  sinners  in  themselves. 

This  is  evident  by  what  hath  already  been  said  ;  for  if 
the  justification  of  their  persons  is  by,  in,  and  through 
Christ ;  then  it  is  not  by,  in,  and  through  their  own  doings. 
Nor  was  Christ  engaged  in  this  work  but  of  necessity, 
even  because  else  there  had  not  been  salvation  for  the  elect. 
"  Father"  (saith  he),  "  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from 
me,"  Matt.  xxvi.  39.  If  what  be  possible  1  Why,  that 
my  elect  may  be  saved,  and  I  not  spill  my  blood.  Wherefore 
he  saith  again,  Christ  ought  to  suffer.  Christ  must  needs 
have  suftered  ;  for  without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  re- 
misson  of  sin,  Luke,  xxiv.  26  ;  Acts,  xvii.  3  ;  Heb.  ix.  22. 

2.  We  will  now  come  to  the  present  state  and  condition 
of  those  that  are  justified  ;  I  mean  with  respect  to  their 
own  qualifications,  and  so  prove  the  truth  of  this  our  great 
position.     And  this  I  will  do, 

1.  By  giving  of  you  plain  texts  that  discover  it,  and  that 
consequently  prove  our  point. 

2.  And  after  that,  by  giving  of  you  reasons  drawn  from 
the  texts. 

For  the  first  of  these. 

1.  First,  "  Speak  not  in  thine  heart"  (no,  not  in  thine 
heart)  "after  that  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  cast  oat  thine 
enemies  before  thee,  saying.  For  my  righteousness  do  I  pos- 
sess the  land  : — not  for  thy  righteousness,  or  for  the  up- 
rightness of  thine  heart,  dost  thou  go  in  to  possess  the 


132  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

land.  Understand,  therefore,  that  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth 
thee  not  this  good  land  to  possess  it  for  thy  righteousness, 
for  thou  art  a  stiff-necked  people,"  Deut.  ix.  4-6. 

In  these  words,  very  pat  for  our  purpose,  two  things  are 
worthy  our  consideration. 

1.  The  people  here  spoken  to  were  the  people  of  God  ; 
and  so  by  God  himself  are  they  here  twice  acknowledged 
to  be— "The  Lord  thy  God,  the  Lord  thy  God."  So,  then,  the 
righteousness  here  intended,  is  not  the  righteousness  that  is 
in  the  world,  but  that  which  the  people  of  God  perform. 

2.  The  righteousness  here  intended  is  not  some,  but  all, 
and  every  whit  of  that  the  church  performs  to  God  :  "  Say 
not  in  thine  heart,  after  the  Lord  hath  brought  thee  in, 
it  was  for  my  righteousness."  No,  all  thy  righteousness, 
from  Egypt  to  Canaan,  will  not  purchase  Canaan  for 
thee. 

That  this  is  true  is  evident,  because  it  is  thrice  rejected — 
"  Not  for  thy  righteousness,  not  for  thy  righteousness,  not 
for  thy  righteousness,  dost  thou  possess  the  land."  Now  if 
the  righteousness  of  the  people  of  God  of  old  could  not 
merit  for  them  Canaan,  which  was  but  a  type  of  heaven, 
how  can  the  righteousness  of  the  world  now  obtain  heaven 
itself  ?     I  say  again. 

If  godly  men,  as  these  were,  could  not  by  their  works 
purchase  the  type  of  heaven,  then  must  the  ungodly  be 
justified,  if  ever  they  be  justified  fi"om  the  curse  and  sen- 
tence of  the  law,  while  sinners  in  themselves.  The  argu- 
ment is  clear  ;  for  if  good  men  by  what  they  do  cannot 
merit  the  less,  bad  men  by  what  they  do  cannot  merit 
more. 

Secondly,  "  Remember  me,  0  my  God,  for  this  ;  and  wipe 
not  out  my  good  deeds  that  I  have  done,"  Neh.  xiii.  14. 

These  words  were  spoken  by  holy  Nehemiah,  and  that  at 
the  end  of  all  the  good  that  we  read  he  did  in  the  world. 
Also,  the  deeds  here  spoken  of  were  deeds  done  for  God,  for 
his  people,  for  his  house,  and  for  the  offices  thereof. 

Yet  godly  Nehemiah  durst  not  stand  before  God  in  these, 
nor  yet  suffer  them  to  stand  to  his  judgment  by  the  law  ; 


BFT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST,  1313 

but  prays  to  God  to  be  merciful  both  to  him  and  them,  and 
to  spare  him  "  according  to  the  multitude  of  his  mercy," 
verse  22. 

God  blots  out  no  good  but  for  the  sake  of  sin  ;  and  for- 
asmuch as  this  man  prays  God  would  not  blot  out  his,  it 
is  evident  that  he  was  conscious  to  himself  that  in  his  good 
works  were  sin.  Now,  I  say,  if  a  good  man's  works  are 
in  danger  of  being  overthrown  because  tliere  is  in  them 
a  tang  [taint]  of  sin,  how  can  bad  men  think  to  stand 
just  before  God  in  their  works,  which  are  in  all  parts, 
full  of  sin  1  Yea,  if  the  works  of  a  sanctified  man  are 
blameworthy,  how  shall  the  works  of  a  bad  man  set  him 
clear  in  the  eyes  of  Divine  justice  ? 

Thirdly,  "  But  we  are  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our 
righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags  ;  and  we  do  all  fade  away 
as  a  leaf ;  and  our  iniquities,  like  the  wind,  have  taken  us 
away,"  Isa.  Ixiv,  6. 

In  these  words  we  have  a  relation  both  of  persons  and 
things. 

1 .  Of  persons.  And  they  are  a  righteous  people,  a  right- 
eous people  put  all  together — "  We,  we  all  are,"  &c. 

2.  The  condition  of  this  people,  even  of  all  of  them,  take 
them  at  the  best,  are,  and  that  by  their  own  confession,  "  as 
an  unclean  thing." 

3.  Again  the  things  here  attending  this  people  are  their 
good  things,  put  dowTi  under  this  large  character,  "  Right- 
eousnesses, all  our  righteousnesses."  These  expressions 
therefore  comprehend  all  their  religious  duties,  both  before 
and  after  faith  too.  But  what  are  all  these  righteousnesses  % 
Why  they  are  all  as  "  filthy  rags"  when  set  before  the  jus- 
tice of  the  law  ;  yea,  it  is  also  confessed,  and  that  by  these 
people,  that  their  iniquities,  notwithstanding  all  their  right- 
eousnesses, like  the  wind,  if  grace  prevent  not,  would  "  carry 
them  away."  This  being  so,  how  is  it  possible  for  one  that 
is  in  his  sins  to  work  himself  into  a  spotless  condition  by 
works  done  before  faith,  by  works  done  by  natural  abili- 
ties ?  or  to  perform  a  righteousness  which  is  able  to  look 
God  in  the  face,  his  law  in  the  face,  and  to  demand  and  ob- 


'i-^ 


134  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

tain  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  the  life  that  is  eternal  ? 
It  cannot  he  :  "men  must  therefore  be  justified  from  the 
curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in  themselves,  or 
not  at  all." 

Fourthly^  "  There  is  not  a  just  man  upon  the  earth,  that 
doth  good,  and  sinneth  not,"  Eccles.  vii.  20 ;  1  Kings,  viii.  46. 

Although  the  words  before  are  large,  yet  these  seem  far 
larger  ;  there  is  not  a  man,  not  a  just  man,  not  a  just  man 
upon  the  earth,  that  doth  good,  and  sinneth  not.  Now,  if 
no  good  man,  if  no  good  man  upon  earth  doth  good,  and 
sinneth  not,  then  no  good  man  upon  earth  can  set  himself 
by  his  own  actions  justified  in  the  sight  of  God,  for  he  has 
sin  mixed  with  his  good.  How  then  shall  a  bad  man,  any 
bad  man,  the  best  bad  man  upon  earth,  think  to  set  him- 
self by  his  best  things  just  in  the  sight  of  God  1  And  if 
the  tree  makes  the  fruit  either  good  or  evil,  then  a  bad 
tree  (and  a  bad  man  is  a  bad  tree)  can  bring  forth  no  good 
fruit  (Matt.  vii.  16),  how  then  shall  such  an  one  do  that 
that  shall  cleanse  him  from  his  sin,  and  set  him  as  "  spot- 
less before  the  face  of  God  ? " 

Fifthly^  "  Hearken  to  me,  ye  stout-hearted,  that  are  far 
fi'om  righteousness  :  I  bring  near  my  righteousness,"  &c., 
Isaiah,  xlvi,  12,  13. 

1.  This  call  is  general,  and  so  proves,  whatever  men  think 
of  themselves  that  in  the  judgment  of  God  there  is  none 
at  all  righteous  men,  as  men  are  from  being  so. 

2.  This  general  offer  of  righteousness,  of  the  righteousness 
of  God,  declares  that  it  is  in  vain  for  men  to  think  to  be 
set  just  and  righteous  before  God  by  any  other  means. 

3.  There  is  here  also  insinuated,  that  for  him  that  thinks 
himself  the  worst,  God  has  prepared  a  righteousness,  and 
therefore  would  not  have  him  despair  of  life  that  sees 
himself  far  from  righteousness.  From  all  these  scriptures, 
therefore,  it  is  manifest  that  "  men  must  be  justified  from 
the  curse  of 
themselves." 

Sixthly,  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest,"  Matt.  xi.  28. 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  136 

Here  we  have  a  labouring  people,  a  people  labouring  for 
life  ;  but  by  all  their  labour,  you  see,  they  cannot  ease 
themselves ;  their  burden  still  remains  upon  them  ;  they 
yet  are  heavy  laden.  The  load  here  is,  doubtless  guilt  of 
sin,  such  as  David  had  when  he  said  by  reason  thereof 
"he  was  not  able  to  look  up  ;"  Psal.  xxxviii.  3-5. 

Hence,  therefore,  3^ou  have  an  experiment  set  before  you, 
of  those  that  are  trying  what  they  can  do  for  life  ;  but  be- 
hold, the  more  they  stir,  the  more  they  sink  under  the 
weight  of  the  burden  that  lies  upon  them. 

And  the  conclusion — to  wit,  Christ's  call  to  them  to  come 
to  him  for  rest — declares  that,  in  his  judgment,  rest  was  not 
to  be  had  elsewhere.  And  I  think  one  may  with  as  much 
safety  adhere  to  Christ's  judgment  as  to  any  man's  alive  ; 
wherefore  "  men  must  be  justified  from  the  curse  in  the 
sight  of  God  while  sinners  in  themselves." 

Seventhly,  "  There  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one  :  there 
is  none  that  understandeth,  there  is  none  that  seeketh  after 
God.  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way,  they  are  together 
become  unprofitable  ;  there  is  none  that  doth  good,  no,  not 
one,"  Rom.  iii.  10-12. 

These  words  have  respect  to  a  righteouwiess  which  is 
justified  by  the  law  ;  and  they  conclude  that  none  by  his 
owTi  performances  is  righteous  with  such  a  righteousness  ; 
and  it  is  concluded  from  five  reasons — 

1.  Because  they  are  not  good  ;  for  a  man  must  be  good 
before  he  doth  good,  an^  perfectly  good  before  he  doth 
good  and  sinneth  not. 

2.  Because  they  understand  not.  How  then  should  they 
do  good  \  for  a  man  must  know  before  he  does,  else  how 
should  he  divert  himself  to  do  ? 

3.  Because  they  want  a  heart,  they  seek  not  after  God 
according  to  the  way  of  his  o^vn  appointment. 

4.  They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way  ;  how  then  can  tliey 
walk  therein  ? 

5.  They  are  together  become  unprofitable  ;  what  worth 
or  value  then  can  there  be  in  any  of  their  doings  ? 

These  are  the  reasons  by  which  he  proveth  that  there  is 


136  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

"none  righteous,  no,  not  one."  And  the  reasons  are  weighty  ; 
for  by  them  he  proves  the  tree  is  not  good  ;  how  then  can 
it  yield  good  fruit  ? 

Now,  as  he  concludes  from  these  five  reasons  that  not 
one  indeed  is  righteous,  so  he  concludes  by  five  more  that 
none  can  do  good  to  make  him  so — 

1.  For  that  internally  they  are  as  an  open  sepulchre,  as 
full  of  dead  men's  hones  ;  their  minds  and  consciences  are 
defiled  ;  how  then  can  SAveet  and  good  proceed  from  thence  ] 
ver.  13;  Matt,  xxiii.  27  ;  Tit.  i.  15  ;  Isaiah,  xli v.  12  ;  Jer 
xvii.  9. 

2.  Their  throat  is  filled  with  this  stink  ;  all  their  vocal 
duties  therefore  smell  thereof. 

3.  Their  mouth  is  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness  ;  how 
then  can  there  be  found  one  word  that  should  please  God  1 

4.  Their  tongue,  \vhich  should  present  their  praise  to  God, 
has  been  used  to  w^ork  deceit  ;  how  then,  until  it  is  made  a 
new  one,  should  it  speak  in  righteousness  ? 

5.  The  poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips,  therefore  Avhat- 
ever  comes  fi-om  them,  niust  be  polluted. 

Thus,  you  see,  he  sets  forth  their  internal  part ;  which 
being  a  true  report,  as  to  be  sure  it  is,  it  is  impossible  that 
any  good  should  so  much  as  be  framed  in  such  an  inward 
part,  or  come  clean  out  of  such  a  throat  by  such  a  tongue 
through  such  lips  as  these,  Rom.  iii.  11-14. 

And  yet  this  is  not  all  :  he  also  proves,  and  that  by  five 
reasons  more,  that  it  is  not  possil^  they  should  do  good — 

1.  "  Their  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood,"  verse  15.  This 
implies  an  inclination,  an  inward  inclination  to  evil  courses  ; 
a  quickness  of  motion  to  do  evil,  but  a  backwardness  to  do 
good. 

2.  "  Destruction  and  misery  are  in  their  ways,"  verse  16. 
Take  "  ways"  for  their  "  doings,"  and  in  the  best  of  them 
destruction  lurks,  and  misery  yet  follows  them  at  the  heels. 

3.  "  The  way  of  peace  they  have  not  known,"  verse  19  ; 
that  is  far  above  out  of  their  sight.  Wherefore  the  h\bour 
of  these  foolish  ones  will  w^eary  every  one  of  them,  because 
"  they  know  not  the  way  that  goes  to  the  city." 


BUT  BY  JESU3  CHRIST.  1,37 

4.  "  There  is  no  fear  of  Cod  before  their  eyes,"  ver.  18. 
How  then  can  they  do  anything  with  that  godly  reverence 
of  his  holy  Majesty  that  is  and  must  be  essential  to  every 
good  work  ?  for  to  do  things,  but  not  in  God's  fear,  to 
whart,  will  it  amount  ?  will  it  avail  1 

5.  All  this  while  they  are  under  a  law  that  calls  for 
works  that  are  perfectly  good,  that  will  accept  of  none  but 
what  are  perfectly  good,  and  that  will  certainly  condemn 
them  because  they  neither  are  nor  can  be  perfectly  good  : 
"  For  whatsoever  things  the  law  saith,  it  saith  it  to  them 
that  are  under  the  law,  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped, 
and  all  the  world  become  guilty  before  God,"  ver.  19. 

Thus  you  see  that  Paul  here  proves  by  fifteen  reasons 
that  none  are,  nor  can  be,  righteous  before  God  by  works 
that  they  can  do  ;  therefore  "  men  must  be  justified  from 
the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in  themselves." 

Eighthly,  '*'  But  now  the  righteousness  of  God  without 
the  law  is  manifested,  being  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the 
prophets,"  &c.,  ver.  21. 

This  text  utterly  excludes  the  law, — what  law  ?  The 
law  of  works,  the  moral  law  (ver.  27), — and  makes  men- 
tion of  another  righteousness,  even  a  righteousness  of  God  ; 
for  the  righteousness  of  the  law  is  the  righteousness  of  men, 
"  men's  own  righteousness,"  Phil,  iii.  9. 

Now,  if  the  law,  as  to  a  justifying  righteousness,  is  re- 
jected, then  the  very  matter  upon  and  by  which  man  should 
work  is  rejected  ;  and  if  so,  then  he  must  be  justified  by 
the  righteousness  of  God,  or  not  at  all  ;  for  he  must  be  jus- 
tified by  a  righteousness  that  is  wdthout  the  law ;  to  wit,  the 
righteousness  of  God.  Now  this  righteousness  of  God,  what- 
ever it  is,  to  be  sure  it  is  not  a  righteousness  that  flows  fi-om 
men  ;  for  that,  as  I  said,  is  rejected,  and  the  righteousness 
of  God  opposed  unto  it,  being  called  a  righteousness  that 
is  without  the  law,  without  our  personal  obedience  to  it. 

The  righteousness  of  God,  or  a  righteousness  of  God's 
completing,  a  righteousness  of  God's  bestowing,  a  right- 
eousness that  God  also  gives  unto,  and  puts  upon,  all  them 
that  believe  (ver.  22),  a  righteousness  that  stands  in  the 


138  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

works  of  Christ,  and  that  is  imputed  both  by  the  grace 
and  justice  of  God,  Rom.  iii.  24-26. 

Where,  now,  is  room  for  man's  righteousness,  either  in 
the  whole,  or  as  to  any  part  thereof  ?  I  say,  where,  as  to 
justification  with  God  ? 

Ninthly,  "  What  shall  we  say,  then,  that  Abraham  our 
father,  as  pertaining  to  the  flesh,  hath  found  1" 

Now  the  apostle  is  at  the  root  of  the  matter  ;  for  Abra- 
ham is  counted  the  father  of  the  faithful ;  consequently  the 
man  whose  way  of  attaining  justification  must  needs  be 
exemplary  to  all  the  children  of  Abraham. 

Now  the  question  is.  How  Abraham  found  ?  how  he 
found  that  which  some  of  his  children  sought  and  missed  ? 
Rom.  ix.  32, — that  is,  how  he  found  justifying  righteous- 
ness ;  for  it  was  that  which  Israel  sought,  and  attained  not 
unto,  chap.  xi.  7. 

"  Did  he  find  it  (saith  Paul)  by  the  flesh  ?"  or,  as  he  was 
in  the  flesh  1  or,  by  acts  and  works  of  the  flesh  ?  But  what 
are  they  1  Why,  the  next  verse  tells  you — "  they  are  the 
w^orks  of  the  law." 

If  Abraham  was  justified  by  works,  that  is,  as  pertain- 
ing to  the  flesh  ;  for  the  works  of  the  law  are  none  other 
but  the  best  sort  of  the  works  of  the  flesh.  And  so  Paul 
calls  all  they  that  he  had  before  his  conversion  to  Christ :  "  If 
any  other  man  (saith  he)  thinketh  he  hath  whereof  he  may 
trust  in  the  flesh,  I  more."  And  then  he  counteth  up  seve- 
ral of  his  privileges,  to  which  he  at  last  adjoineth  the 
righteousness  of  the  moral  law,  saying,  "  Touching  the 
righteousness  which  is  in  the  law,  I  was  blameless,"  Phil, 
iii.  4-6. 

And  it  is  proper  to  call  the  righteousness  of  the  law  the 
work  of  the  flesh  (2  Cor.  iii.  8),  because  it  is  the  work  of  a 
man,  of  a  man  in  the  flesh  ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  not 
attend  the  law,  or  the  work  thereof,  as  to  this,  in  man,  as 
man ;  that  has  confined  itself  to  another  ministration, 
whose  glorious  name  it  bears. 

I  say,  it  is  proper  to  call  the  works  of  the  law  the  works 
of  the  flesh  (James,  iii.  10),  because  they  are  done  by  that 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  130 

selfsame  nature  in  and  out  of  which  comes  all  those  things 
that  are  more  grossly  so  called,  Gal.  v.  19,  20, — to  Avit, 
from  the  corrupt  fountain  of  fallen  man's  polluted  nature. 

This,  saith  he,  was  not  the  righteousness  hy  which 
Ahraham  found  justification  with  God — "  For  if  Ahraham 
was  justified  by  works,  he  hath  whereof  to  glory  ;  but  not 
before  God.  For  what  saith  the  Scripture  1  "  Abraham 
believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  to  him  for  righteousness,*' 
see  Rom,  iv.  2-11.  This  "  believing"  is  also  set  in  flat  op- 
position to  "  works,"  and  to  the  "  law  of  works ;"  wherefore, 
upon  pain  of  great  contempt  to  God,  it  must  not  be  reck- 
oned as  a  work  to  justify  withal,  but  rather  as  that  which 
receiveth  and  applieth  that  righteousness. 

From  all  this,  therefore,  it  is  manifest  "  that  men  must 
be  justified  from  the  curse  of  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God 
while  sinners  in  themselves."     But,  ^ 

Tenthly,  "  Now  to  him  that  Avorketh  is  the  reward  not 
reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt,"  Rom.  iv.  4. 

These  words  do  not  only  back  what  went  before,  as  to 
the  rejection  of  the  law  for  righteousness  as  to  justifica- 
tion with  God  ;  but  supposing  the  law  was  of  force  to  jus- 
tify, life  must  not  be  admitted  to  come  that  way,  because 
of  the  evil  consequences  that  will  unavoidably  flow  there- 
from. 

First,  By  this  means,  grace,  and  justification  by  grace, 
would  be  rejected  ;  and  that  would  be  a  foul  business ;  it 
would  not  be  reckoned  of  grace. 

Secondly,  By  this,  God  would  become  the  debtor,  and  so 
the  underling  ;  and  so  we  in  this  the  more  honourable. 
It  would  not  be  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt :  and  what 
would  follow  from  hence  ?     Why, 

1.  By  this  we  should  frustrate  the  design  of  Heaven, 
which  is,  to  justify  us  freely  by  grace,  through  a  re- 
demption brought  in  by  Christ,  Rom.  iii.  24-26  ;  Eph.  ii. 
8-13. 

2.  By  this  we  should  make  ourselves  the  saviours,  and 
jostle  Christ  quite  out  of  doors,  Gal.  v.  2-4. 

3.  We  should  have  heaven  at  our  own  disposal,  as  a 


140  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

debt,  not  by  promise,  and  so  not  be  beholden  to  God  for 
it,  Gal.  iii.  18.  It  must,  then,  be  of  grace,  not  of  works, 
for  the  preventing  of  these  evils.  Again  ;  it  must  not  be  of 
works,  because  if  it  should,  then  God  would  be  the  debtor, 
and  we  the  creditor.  Now  much  blasphemy  would  flow 
from  hence  ;  as, 

First,  God  himself  would  not  be  his  o^vn  to  dispose  of ; 
for  the  inheritance  being  God,  as  well  as  his  kingdom, — 
for  so  it  is  written,  "  Heirs  of  God,"  Rom.  viii.  17, — himself, 
I  say,  must  needs  be  our  purchase. 

Secondly,  If  so,  then  we  have  right  to  dispose  of  him,  of 
his  kingdom  and  glory,  and  all ;  ("Be  astonished,  0  heavens, 
at  this  ! ")  for  if  he  be  ours  by  works,  then  he  is  ours  of 
debt ;  if  he  be  ours  of  debt,  then  he  is  ours  by  purchase  ; 
and  then,  again,  if  so,  he  is  no  longer  his  own,  but  ours, 
and  at  ouj;  disposal,  &c. 

Therefore,  for  these  reasons,  were  there  sufficiency  in  our 
personal  works  to  justify  us,  it  would  be  even  inconsistent 
with  the  being  of  God  to  suffer  it. 

So,  then,  "  men  are  justified  fi'om  the  curse  in  the  sight 
of  God  while  sinners  in  themselves." 

Elezcnthly,  "  But  to  him  that  v/orketh  not,  but  believ- 
eth  on  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted 
for  righteousness,"  Rom.  iv.  5. 

These  words  shew  how  we  must  stand  just  in  the  sight 
of  God  fi'om  the  curse  of  the  law,  both  as  it  respecteth  jus- 
tification itself,  as  also  the  instrument  or  means  that  receiv- 
eth  that  righteousness  which  justifieth. 

First,  As  for  that  righteousness  that  justifieth,  it  is 
not  personal  performances  in  us  ;  for  the  person  here  jus- 
tified stands,  in  that  respect,  as  one  that  worketh  not.  as 
one  that  is  ungodly. 

Secondly,  As  it  respecteth  the  instrument  that  receiveth 
it,  that  faith,  as  in  the  point  of  justifying  righteousness, 
will  not  work,  but  believe,  but  receive  the  works  and 
righteousness  of  another  ;  for  works  and  faith  in  this  are 
set  in  opposition, — "  He  doth  not  work,  he  doth  believe," 
Gal.  iii.  12.     He  worketh  not,  but  belie veth  on  him  who 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CURIST,  141 

justifieth  us,  ungodly.  As  Paul  also  saith  in  another  place, 
"  The  law  is  not  of  faith."  And  again  ;  Works  saith  on  this 
wise  ;  faith,  far  different.  The  law  saith,  Do  this,  and  live. 
But  the  doctrine  of  faith  saith,  "  If  thou  shalt  confess  with 
thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thine  heart 
that  God  hath  raised  him  fi'om  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be 
saved.  For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  mito  righteous- 
ness," &c.,  Rom.  X.  5,  10, 

Object.  But  faith  is  counted  for  righteousness. 

Ans.  Tiiie  ;  but  yet  consider,  that  by  faith  we  do  oft 
understand  the  doctrine  of  remission  of  sins,  as  well  as  the 
act  of  believing. 

But  again  ;  faith  when  it  hath  received  the  Lord  Jesus, 
it  hath  done  that  which  pleaseth  God  ;  therefore,  the  very 
act  of  believing  is  the  most  noble  in  the  world  ;  believing 
sets  the  crown  upon  the  head  of  grace  ;  it  sets  its  seal  to  the 
truth  of  the  sufficiency  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ  (John, 
iii.  33),  and  giveth  all  the  glory  to  God  ;  and  therefore  it 
is  a  righteous  act  :  but  Christ  himself  he  is  the  "  Right- 
eousness that  justifieth,"  Rom.  iv.  20. 

Besides,  faith  is  a  relative  act,  and  hath  its  relation  as 
such  :  its  relation  is  the  righteousness  that  justifieth,  which 
is  therefore  called  the  righteousness  of  faith,  or  that  with 
which  faith  hath  to  do,  Rom.  x.  6.  Separa+.e  these 
two,  and  justification  cannot  be,  because  faith  now  wants 
his  righteousness.  And  hence  it  is  you  have  so  often  such 
sayings  as  these — "  He  that  believeth  in  me, — he  tliat 
believeth  on  him, — believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved,"  John,  vL  35-40,  Faith,  then, 
as  separate  fi'om  Christ,  doth  nothing  ;  nothing  neither 
with  God  nor  man  ;  because  it  wants  its  relative  object, — 
but  let  it  go  to  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  let  it  behold  him  as  dying, 
&c.,  and  it  fetches  righteousness,  and  life,  and  peace  out 
of  the  virtue  of  his  blood,  &c..  Acts,  x.  29,  31,  33  ;  or 
rather,  sees  it  there  as  sufficient  for  me  to  stand  just 
thereby  in  the  sight  of  Eternal  Justice  :  "  For  him  hath 
God  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  (belief) 


142  NO  WAY  TO  nSAVEN 

in  his  blood,  with  intent  to  justify  him  that  helieveth  in 
Jesus,"  Rom.  iii.  25,  26. 

Twelfthli/y  "  Even  as  David  also  descriheth  the  blessed- 
ness of  the  man  to  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  with- 
out works,"  Rom.  iv.  6. 

Bid  our  adversaries  understand  this  one  text,  they  would 
not  so  boldly  affiiTn,  as  they  do,  that  the  words,  "  impute,  im- 
puted, imputeth,  imputing,"  &c.,  are  not  used  in  scripture 
but  to  express  men  really  and  personally  to  be  that  which  is 
imputed  unto  them ;  for  men  are  not  really  and  personally 
faith,  yet  faith  is  imputed  to  men  ;  nay,  they  are  not  really 
and  personally  sin,  nor  really  and  personally  righteousness, 
yet  these  are  imputed  to  men  :  so,  then,  both  good  things 
and  bad  may  sometimes  be  imputed  to  men,  yet  themselves 
be  really  and  personally  neither. 

But  to  come  to  the  point :  vv'hat  righteousness  hath 
that  man  that  hath  no  works  ?  Doubtless  none  of  his 
owTi ;  yet  God  imputeth  righteousness  to  him.  Yea,  what 
works  of  that  man  doth  God  impute  to  him  that  he  yet 
justifies  as  imgodly  ? 

Further,  He  that  hath  works  as  to  justification  from  the 
curse  before  God,  not  one  of  them  is  regarded  of  God  ;  so, 
then,  it  mattereth  not  whether  thou  hast  righteousness  of 
thine  oa\ti  or  none. 

"  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  right- 
eousness without  works."  Man's  blessedness,  then,  the 
blessedness  of  justification  from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of 
God,  lieth  not  in  good  works  done  by  us,  either  before  or 
after  faith  received,  but  in  a  righteousness  which  God  im- 
puteth without  works  ;  as  we  work  not,  as  we  are  ungodly. 
"  Blessed  is  the  man  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and 
whose  sin  is  covered,"  ver.  7.  To  forgive  and  to  cover  are 
acts  of  mercy,  not  the  cause  of  our  merit.  Besides,  where 
sin  is  real,  there  can  be  no  perfect  righteousness  :  lint 
the  way  of  justification  must  be  through  perfect  right- 
eousness, therefore  by  another  than  our  ovm,  "  Blessed  is 
the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not  impute  sin,"  ver.  8. 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  143 

The  first  cause,  then,  of  justification  before  God  dependeth 
upon  the  will  of  God,  who  will  justify  because  he  will  ; 
therefore  the  meritorious  cause  must  also  be  of  his  own 
providing,  else  his  will  cannot  herein  be  absolute  ;  for  if  jus- 
tification depend  upon  our  personal  performances,  then  not 
upon  the  will  of  God.  He  may  not  have  mercy  upon 
whom  he  will,  but  on  whom  man's  righteousness  will  give 
him  leave,  Romans,  ix.  15,  18.  But  his  will,  not  ours, 
must  rule  here  ;  therefore  his  righteousness,  and  his  only! 
So,  then,  "  men  are  justified  from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of 
God  while  sinners  in  themselves." 

Having  passed  over  these  few  scriptures,  I  shall  come  to 
particular  instances  of  persons  who  have  been  justified  ; 
and  ^  shall  briefly  touch  their  qualifications  in  the  act  of 
God's  justifying  them. 
First,  By  the  Old-Testament  types. 
Secondly,  By  the  New. 
First,  By  the  Old. 

"  And  unto  Adam  also  and  to  his  w^ife  did  the  Lord 
God  make  coats  of  skins,  and  clothed  them,"  Gen.  iii.  21. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  you  find  these  two  per- 
sons reasoning  with  the  sei-pent,  the  efiect  of  which  dis- 
course was,  "  They  take  of  the  forbidden  fi-uit,  and  so  break 
the  command  of  God,"  ver.  7-15.  This  done,  they  hide 
themselves,  and  cover  their  nakedness  with  aprons.  But 
God  finds  out  their  sin,  fi'om  the  highest  branch  even  to 
the  roots  thereof. 

What  folloAveth?  Not  one  precept  by  which  they 
should  by  works  obtain  the  favour  of  God,  but  the  promise 
of  a  Saviour ;  of  which  promise  this  21st  verse  is  a  mys- 
tical interpretation  :  "  The  Lord  God  made  them  coats  of 
skins,  and  clothed  them,"  ver.  21. 
Hence  observe, 

First,  That  these  coats  were  made,  not  before,  but  after 
they  had  made  themselves  aprons  ;  a  plain  proof  their 
aprons  were  not  sufficient  to  hide  their  shame  from  the 
sight  of  God. 

Secondly,  These  coats  w^ere  made,  not  of  Adam's  inherent 


144  NO  VTAY  TO  HEAVEN 

righteousness,  for  that  was  lost  before  by  shi,  but  of  the 
skins  of  the  slain  lambs,  types  of  the  deatli  of  Christ,  and  of 
the  righteousness  brought  in  thereby — "  By  whose  stripes 
we  are  healed,"  Isa.  liii. 

Thirdly^  This  is  further  manifest ;  for  the  coats,  God 
made  them ;  and  for  the  persons,  God  clothed  them  there- 
with ;  to  shew  that  as  the  righteousness  by  which  we 
must  stand  just  before  God  from  the  curse  is  a  righteous- 
ness of  Christ's  performing,  not  of  theirs  ;  so  he,  not  they, 
must  put  it  on  them  also,  for  of  God  we  are  in  Christ, 
and  of  God  his  righteousness  is  made  ours,  1  Cor,  i.  30. 

But,  I  say,  if  you  would  see  their  antecedent  qualifica- 
tions, you  find  them  imder  two  heads — 

First,  Rebellion. 

Second,  Hypocrisy. 

Rebellion,  in  breaking  God's  command  ;  hypocrisy,  in 
seeking  how  to  hide  their  faults  from  God.  Expound  this 
by  gospel  language,  and  then  it  shews  "that  men  are  justi- 
fied from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in 
themselves." 

Secondly,  ''  The  Lord  had  respect  to  Abel  and  to  his  offer- 
ing," Gen.  iv.  4. 

By  these  words  we  find  the  person  first  accepted,  "  The 
Lord  had  respect  unto  Abel."  And  indeed,  where  the  per- 
son is  not  first  accepted,  the  offering  will  not  be  pleasing  ; 
the  altar  sanctifies  the  gift,  and  the  temple  sanctifieth  the 
gold.  Matt,  xxiii.  16-21  ;  so  the  person,  the  condition  of 
the  person,  is  that  which  makes  the  offering  either  pleasing 
or  despising.  In  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews  it  is  said,  "  By 
faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than 
Cain,  by  which  he  obtained  witness  that  he  was  righteous," 
Heb.  xi.  4.  Righteous  before  he  offered  his  gift,  as  his  sa- 
crifice testified  ;  for  God  accepted  of  it. 

By  faith  he  offered.  Wherefore  faith  was  precedent,  or 
before  he  offered.  Now  faith  hath  to  do  with  God  through 
Christ ;  not  with  liiin  through  our  works  of  righteousness. 
Besides,  Abel  was  righteous  before  he  offered,  before  he  did 
do  good,  otherwise  God  would  not  have  testified  of  his  gift. 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  14> 

"By  faith  he  obtained  witness  that  he  was  righteous," for  God 
approved  of  his  gifts.  Now  faith,  I  say,  as  to  our  standing 
quit  before  the  Father,  respects  the  promise  of  forgiveness 
of  sins  through  the  undertaking  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Where- 
fore Abel's  faith  as  to  justifying  righteousness  before  God 
looked  not  forward  to  what  should  be  done  by  himself, 
but  back  to  the  promise  of  the  seed  of  the  woman,  that  was 
to  destroy  the  power  of  hell,  "and  to  redeem  them  that  Avere 
under  the  law,"  Gen.  iii.  15  ;  Gal  iv.  4,  5.  By  this  faith  he 
shrouds  himself  under  the  promise  of  victory,  and  the  merits 
of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Now  being  there,  God  finds  him  right- 
eous ;  and  being  righteous,  "  he  offered  to  God  a  more  excel- 
lent sacrifice  than  his  brother  ;"  for  Cain's  person  was  not 
first  accepted  through  the  righteousness  of  faith  going 
before,  although  he  seemed  foremost  as  to  personal  acts 
of  righteousness,  Gen.  iv.  Abel  therefore  was  righteous 
before  he  did  good  works,  but  that  could  not  be  but  alone 
through  that  respect  God  had  to  him  for  the  sake  of  the 
Messias  promised  before,  chap.  iii.  15.  But  the  Lord's  so 
respecting  Abel  presupposeth  that  at  that  time  he  stood  in 
himself  by  the  law  a  sinner,  otherwise  he  needed  not  to 
be  respected  for  and  upon  the  account  of  another.  Yea, 
Abel  also,  forasmuch  as  he  acted  faith  before  he  offered  sa- 
crifice, must  thereby  entirely  respect  the  promise,  which 
promise  was  not  grounded  upon  a  condition  of  works  to  be 
found  in  Abel,  but  in  and  for  the  sake  of  the  seed  of  the 
woman,  which  is  Christ,  Gal.  iv.  4  ;  which  promise  he 
believed,  and  so  took  it  for  granted  that  this  Christ  should 
break  the  serpent's  head — that  is,  destroy  by  himself  the 
works  of  the  devil ;  to  \vit,  sin,  death,  the  curse,  and  hell. 
By  this  faith  he  stood  before  God  righteous,  because  he  had 
put  on  Christ ;  and  being  thus,  he  offered  ;  by  which  act  of 
faith  God  declared  he  was  pleased  with  him,  because  he  ac- 
cepted of  his  sacrifice. 

Thirdly,  "  And  the  Lord  said  unto  her, — The  elder  shall 
serve  the  younger,"  Gen,  xxv.  23.  These  words,  after 
Paul's  exposition,  are  to  be  understood  of  justification  in  the 
sight  of  God,  according  to  the  purpose  and  decree  of  electing 

K 


146  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

love,  which  had  so  determined  long  before  that  one  of  these 
children  should  be  received  to  eternal  grace  ;  but  mark,  not 
by  works  of  righteousness  which  they  should  do,  but  "  be- 
fore they  had  done  either  good  or  evil  ;"  otherwise  ''  the  pur- 
pose of  God"  according  to  election,  not  of  works,  l)ut  of  him 
that  calleth,  "could  not  stand,"  but  fall  in  pieces,  Rom.  ix. 
10-12.  But  none  are  received  into  eternal  mercy  but  such 
as  are  just  before  the  Lord  by  a  righteousness  that  is 
complete  ;  and  Jacob  having  done  no  good,  could  by  no 
means  have  that  of  his  own,  and  therefore  it  must  be 
b}^  some  other  righteousness,  "  and  so  himself  1  e  justified 
from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while  a  sinner  in  him- 
self." 

Fourthly^  The  same  may  be  said  concerning  Solomon, 
whom  the  Lord  loved  with  special  love  as  soon  as  born  into 
the  world  (2  Sam.  xii.  24,  25),which  he  also  confirmed  with 
signal  characters.  "  He  sent  (saith  the  Holy  Ghost)  by  the 
hand  of  Nathan  the  prophet,  and  he  called  his  name  Jedi- 
diah,  because  the  Lord  loved  him."  Was  this  love  of  God 
extended  to  him  because  of  his  personal  virtues  ?  No,  verily ; 
for  he  was  yet  an  infant.  He  was  justified  then  in  the 
sight  of  God  from  the  curse  by  another  than  his  own  right- 
eousness. 

Fifthly^  "  And  when  I  passed  by  thee,  and  saw  thee  pol- 
luted in  thine  own  blood,  I  said  unto  thee  when  thou  wast 
in  thy  blood.  Live  ;  yea,  I  said  unto  thee  when  thou  wast  in 
thy  blood.  Live,"  Ezek.  xvi.  6.  The  state  of  this  people 
you  have  in  the  former  verses  described,  both  as  to  their 
rise  and  practice  in  the  world,  ver.  1-5. 

(1.)  As  to  their  rise.  Their  original  was  the  same  with 
Canaan,  the  men  of  God's  curse.  Gen.  ix.  25.  Thy  birth 
and  thy  nativity  is  of  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  the  same  with 
(-•ther  carnal  men,  Rom.  iii.  9.  "  Thy  father  was  an  Amo- 
rite,  and  thy  mother  an  Hittite." 

(2.)  Their  condition,  that  is  shewed  us  by  this  emblem — 

1.  They  had  not  been  washed  in  water.  2.  They  had  not 
been  swaddled.  3.  They  had  not  been  salted.  4.  They 
brought  filth  with  them  into  the  world.   5.  They  lay  poUu- 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  l-a> 

ted  in  their  cradle.  6.  They  were  without  strength  to  help 
themselves.     Thus  they  appear  and  come  by  generation. 

Again,  as  to  their  practice — 

1.  They  polluted  themselves  in  their  o%m  blood.  2.  They 
so  continued  till  God  passed  by — "  And  when  I  passed  by 
thee,  I  saw  thee  polluted  in  thine  own  blood  ;" — in  thy 
blood,  in  thy  blood  ;  it  is  doubled.  Thus  we  see  they  were 
polluted  born,  they  continued  in  their  blood  till  the  day  that 
the  Lord  looked  upon  them  ;  polluted,  I  say,  to  the  loath- 
ing of  their  persons,  &c.  Now  this  was  the  time  of  love — 
"  And  when  I  passed  by  thee,  and  saw  thee  polluted  in 
thine  own  blood,  I  said  unto  thee  when  thou  wast  in  thy 
blood.  Live  ;  yea,  I  said  unto  thee  when  thou  wast  in  thy 
blood.  Live." 

Quest.  But  how  could  a  holy  God  say,  live,  to  such  a  sin- 
ful people  ? 

Atis.  Though  they  had  nought  but  sin,  yet  he  had  love 
and  righteousness.  He  had,  1.  Love  to  pity  them;  2.  Right- 
eousness to  cover  them  :  "  Now  when  I  passed  by  thee,  and 
looked  upon  thee,  behold,  thy  time  was  the  time  of  love," 
Ezek.  xvi.  8.  What  follows  ?  1,  "  I  spread  my  skirt  over 
thee  ;"  and,  2,  "  Covered  thy  nakedness  ;"  yea,  3,  "  I  sware 
unto  thee ;"  and,  4,  "  Entered  into  covenant  with  thee ;"  and, 
5,  "  Thou  be<}amest  mine."  My  love  pitied  thee  ;  my  skirt 
covered  thee.  Thus  God  delivered  them  from  the  curse  in 
liis  sight.  "  Then  I  washed  thee  with  water  (after  thou 
wast  justified)  ;  yea,  I  thoroughly  washed  away  thy  blood 
from  thee,  and  anointed  thee  with  oil,"  ver.  9.  Sanctifi- 
cation,  then,  is  consequential,  justification  goes  before — the 
Holy  Ghost  by  this  scripture  setteth  forth  to  the  life,  free 
grace  to  the  sons  of  men  while  they  themselves  are  sinners. 
I  say,  while  they  are  unwashed,  unswaddled,  unsalted,  but 
bloody  sinners  ;  for  by  these  words,  "  not  washed,  not  salted, 
not  swaddled,"  he  setteth  forth  their  unsanctified  state;  yea, 
they  were  not  only  unsanctified,  but  also  cast  out,  without 
pity,  to  the  loathing  of  their  persons  ;  yea,  "  no  eye  pitied 
them,  to  do  any  of  these  things  for  them  ;"  no  eye  but  his 
whose  gloi-ious  grace  is  unsearchable  ;  no  eye  but  his  who 


148  NO  VVAY  TO  HEAVEN 

could  look  and  love  ;  all  others  looked  a^ia  loathed  ;  but 
blessed  be  God  that  hath  passed  by  us  in  that  day  that  we 
wallowed  in  our  own  blood  ;  and  blessed  be  God  for  the  skirt 
of  his  glorious  righteousness  wherewith  he  covered  us  when 
we  lay  before  him  naked  in  blood.  It  was  when  we  were 
in  our  blood  that  he  loved  us  ;  when  we  were  in  our  blood 
he  said,  Live,  Therefore,  "  men  are  justified  from  the  curse 
in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in  themselves." 

Si.rthly,  "  Now  Joshua  was  clothed  with  filthy  garments 
and  stood  before  the  angel,"  Zech.  iii.  3. 

The  standing  of  Joshua  here  is  as  men  used  to  stand  that 
Avere  arraigned  before  a  judge.  "  Joshua  stood  before  the 
angel  of  the  Lord,  and  Satan  standing  at  his  right  hand  to 
resist  him,"  ver.  1.  The  same  posture  as  Judas  stood  in 
when  he  was  to  be  condemned — "  Set  thou  (saith  David) 
a  wicked  man  over  him,  and  let  Satan  stand  at  his  right 
hand,"  Ps.  cix,  6-8.  Thus  therefore  Joshua  stood. 
Now  Joshua  was  clothed  (not  with  righteousness,  but)  with 
filthy  rags  !  Sin  upon  him,  and  Satan  by  him,  and  this 
before  the  angel  !  What  must  he  do  now  ?  Go  away  %  No  ; 
there  he  must  stand.  Can  he  speak  for  himself  ]  Not  a 
word  ;  guilt  had  made  him  dumb,  Isa.  liii.  12.  Had  he 
no  place  clean  ?  No  ;  he  was  clothed  with  filthy  garments. 
But  his  lot  was  to  stand  before  Jesus  Christ,  that  maketh 
intercession  for  transgressors — "  And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Satan,  the  Lord  rebuke  thee,  Satan ;  even  the  Lord  that 
hath  chosen  Jerusalem,  rebuke  thee,"  Zech.  iii.  2.  Thus 
Christ  saveth  from  present  condemnation  those  that  be  still 
in  their  sin  and  blood. 

But  is  he  now  quit  ?  No ;  he  standeth  yet  in  filthy  gar- 
ments ;  neither  can  he,  by  aught  that  is  in  him,  or  done  by 
him,  clear  himself  from  him.  How  then  1  Why,  the  Lord 
clothes  him  with  change  of  raiment :  the  iniquities  were 
his  owTi,  the  raiment  was  the  Lord's — "  This  is  the  heritage 
of  the  servants  of  the  Lord,  and  their  righteousness  is  of 
me,  saith  the  Lord."  We  will  not  here  discourse  of  Joshua's 
sin,  what  it  was,  or  when  committed  ;  it  is  enough  to  our 
purpose  that  he  was  clothed  with  filthy  gai-ments,  and 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  14!) 

that  the  Lord  made  a  change  with  him  hy  causing  his 
iniquity  to  pass  from  him,  and  by  clothing  him  with  change 
of  raiment.  But  what  had  Joshua  antecedent  to  this  glo- 
rious and  heavenly  clothing  ?  The  devil  at  his  right  hand 
to  resist  him,  and  himself  in  filthy  garments — "  Now  Jo- 
shua was  clothed  with  filthy  garments,  and  stood  before 
the  angel.  And  he  answered  and  spake  to  those  that  stood 
before  him  saying.  Take  away  the  filthy  garments  from 
him.  And  unto  him  he  said.  Behold,  I  have  caused  thine 
iniquity  to  pass  from  thee,  and  I  will  clothe  thee  with 
change  of  raiment,"  ver.  3,  4. 

But  to  pass  the  Old-Testament  types,  and  to  come  to  the 
New. 

First,  "  And  when  he  was  come  into  the  ship,  he  that 
had  been  possessed  with  the  devil  prayed  him  that  he  might 
go  with  him.  Howbeit  Jesus  suffered  him  not,  but  saith 
unto  him,  Go  home  to  thy  fi*iends,  and  tell  them  how  great 
things  God  hath  done  for  thee,  and  hath  had  compassion 
on  thee,"  Mark,  v.  18,  19. 

The  present  state  of  this  man  is  sufficiently  declared  in 
these  particulars — 

1.  He  was  possessed  with  a  devil ;  with  devils,  with 
many  ;  with  a  whole  legion,  which  some  say  is  six  thou- 
sand, or  thereabouts. 

2.  These  devils  had  so  the  mastery  of  him  as  to  drive 
him  from  place  to  place  into  the  wilderness  among  the 
mountains,  and  so  to  dwell  in  the  tombs  among  the  dead, 
Luke,  viii. 

3.  He  was  out  of  his  wits  ;  he  would  cut  his  flesh,  break 
his  chains,  nay,  "  no  man  could  tame  him,"  Mark,  v.  7. 

4.  When  he  saw  Jesus,  the  devil  in  him,  as  being  lord 
and  governor  there,  cried  out  against  the  Lord  Jesus.  In 
all  this  what  qualification  shews  itself  as  precedent  to  jus- 
tification ?  None  but  such  as  devils  work,  or  as  rank 
Bedlams  have.  Yet  this  poor  man  was  dispossessed,  taken 
into  God's  compassion,  and  was  bid  to  shew  it  to  the  world 
— "  Go  home  to  thy  fiiends,  and  tell  them  how  great  things 
the  Lord  hath  done  for  thee,  and  hath  had  compassion  on 


150  KG  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

thee  ;"  whicli  last  words,  because  they  are  added  over  and 
above  his  being  dispossessed  of  the  devils,  I  understand  to  be 
the  fruit  of  electing  love — "  I  will  have  compassion  on 
whom  I  will  have  compassion,"  which  blesseth  us  with 
the  mercy  of  a  justifying  righteousness  ;  and  all  this,  as 
by  this  is  manifest,  without  the  least  precedent  qualifica- 
tion of  ours. 

Secondly,  "  And  when  they  had  nothing  to  pay,  he 
frankly  forgave  them  both,"  Luke,  vii.  42. 

The  occasion  of  these  words  was,  for  that  the  Pharisee 
murmured  against  the  woman  that  washed  Jesus'  feet, 
l)ecause  "  she  was  a  sinner,"  (ver.  37)  ;  for  so  said  the 
Pharisee,  and  so  saith  the  Holy  Ghost ;  but  saith  Christ, 
Simon,  I  will  ask  thee  a  question — "  A  certain  man  had  two 
debtors .  the  one  owed  him  five  hundred  pence,  and  the 
other  fifty.  And  when  they  had  nothing  to  pay,  he  frankly 
forgave  them  both,"  ver.  38. 

Hence  I  gather  these  conclusions- 

1.  That  men  that  are  wedded  to  their  own  righteousness 
understand  not  the  doctrine  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  This 
is  maiiifested  by  the  poor  Pharisee  ;  he  objected  against 
the  woman  because  she  was  a  sinner. 

2.  Let  Pharisees  murmur  still,  yet  Christ  hath  pity  and 
mercy  for  sinners. 

3.  Yet  Jesus  doth  not  usually  manifest  mercy  until  the 
sinner  hath  nothing  to  pay — "And  when  they  had  nothing  to 
pay,  he  frankly  (or  freely,  or  heartily)  forgave  them  both." 
If  they  had  nothing  to  pay,  then  they  were  sinners  ;  but  he 
forgiveth  no  man  but  with  respect  to  a  righteousness  ; 
therefore  that  righteousness  must  be  another's  ;  for  in  the 
very  act  of  mercy  they  are  found  sinners.  They  had  no- 
thing but  debt,  nothing  but  sin,  nothing  to  pay  :  "  Then  they 
were  justified  freely  by  grace,  through  that  redemption  that 
is  in  Jesus  Christ."  So,  then,  "  men  are  justified  from  the 
curse  in  the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in  themselves." 

Thirdly^  "  And  when  he  saw  their  faith,  he  said  unto 
the  man.  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee,"  Luke,  v.  20. 

This  man  had  not  righteousness  to  stand  just  before  God 


EOT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  151 

withal,  for  his  sins  as  yet  remained  unforgiven  ;  where- 
fore, seeing  guilt  remained  until  Christ  remitted  him,  he  was 
discharged  while  ungodly.  • 

And  observe  it,  the  faith  here  mentioned  is  not  to  be 
reckoned  so  much  the  man's,  as  the  faith  of  them  that 
brought  him  ;  neither  did  it  reach  to  the  forgiveness  of 
sins,  but  to  the  miracle  of  healing  ;  yet  this  man  in  this 
condition  had  his  sins  forgiven  him. 

But  again  ;  set  the  case  the  faith  was  only  his  (as  it  was 
not),  and  that  it  reached  to  the  doctrine  of  forgiveness, 
yet  it  did  it  without  respect  to  righteousness  in  himself ; 
for  guilt  lay  still  upon  him,  he  had  now  his  sins  forgiven 
him. 

But  this  act  of  grace  was  a  sm-prisal  ;  it  was  unlooked 
for  :  "  I  am  found  of  them  that  sought  me  not,"  Isa.  Ixv. 
They  came  for  one  thing,  he  gave  them  another  ;  they 
came  for  a  cure  upon  his  body,  but,  to  their  amazement, 
he  cured  first  his  soul :  "  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee," 

Besides,  to  have  his  sins  forgiven  betokeneth  an  act  of 
grace  ;  but  grace  and  works  as  to  this  are  opposite,  Rom. 
xi.  6  ;  therefore  "  men  are  justified  from  the  curse  in  the 
sight  of  God  while  sinnei-s  in  themselves." 

Fourthly,  "  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven,  and 
in  thy  sight,  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy 
son,"  Luke,  xv.  21. 

What  this  man  was,  is  sufficiently  declared  in  ver.  13, 
&c.  As  first,  a  riotous  spender  of  all — of  time,  talent,  body, 
and  soul. 

2.  He  added  to  this  his  rebellion  great  contempt  of  his 
father's  house — he  joined  himself  to  a  stranger,  and  became 
an  associate  with  swine,  ver.  15,  17 

At  last,  indeed,  he  came  to  himself.  But  then  observe, 
1,  He  sought  not  justification  by  personal  performances  of 
his  own ;  2,  Neither  did  he  mitigate  his  wickedness ;  3,  Nor 
excuse  himself  before  his  father,  but  first  resolveth  to  confess 
his  sin  ;  and  coming  to  his  Father,  did  confess  it,  and,  that 
with  aggravating  circumstances  :  "  I  have  sinned  against 
heaven  ;  I  have  sinned  against  thee  ;  I  am  no  more  worthy 


;  1 

>- 


152  NO  WAT  TO  HEAVEN 

to  "be  called  thy  son,"  ver.  18.  Now  what  he  said  was 
true  or  false  ;.  if  true,  then  he  had  not  righteousness  ;  if 
false,  he  coul^hot  stand  just  in  the  sight  of  his  father  by 
virtue  of  his  own  performances.  And,  indeed,  the  sequel 
of  the  parable  clears  it.  His  father  said  to  his  servant, 
"  Bring  forth  the  best  robe,"  the  justifying  righteousness, 
"  and  put  it  upon  him  ;  and  put  a  ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes 
on  his  feet,"  ver,  22.  This  best  robe,  then,  being  in  the  father's 
house,  was  not  in  the  prodigal's  heart ;  neither  stayed  the 
father  for  further  qualifications,  but  put  it  upon  him  as  he 
was,  surrounded  with  sin  and  oppressed  with  guilt.  There- 
fore "  men  are  justified  from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God 
while  sinnei's  in  themselves." 

Fifthly,  "  For  the  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save 
that  which  was  lost,"  Luke,  xix.  10. 

The  occasion  of  these  words  was,  for  that  the  Pharisees 
murmured  because  "  Jesus  was  gone  to  be  a  guest  to  one  that 
Was  a  sinner,"  yea,  a  sinner  of  the  publicans,  and  these  words 
are  most  fitly  applied  to  the  case  in  hand.  For  though  Zac- 
cheus  climbed  the  tree,  yet  Jesus  Christ  found  him  first, 
and  called  him  down  by  his  name  ;  adding  withal,  "  For  to- 
day I  must  abide  at  thy  house  ;"  which  being  opened  by 
ver.  9,  is  as  much  as  to  say,  I  am  come  to  be  thy  sal- 
vation. Now  this  being  believed  by  Zaccheus,  he  made 
haste  and  came  do■^^^l,  and  "received  him  joyfully."  And 
not  only  so,  but  to  declare  to  all  the  simplicity  of  his  faith, 
and  that  he  unfeignedly  accepted  of  this  word  of  salvation, 
he  said  unto  the  Lord,  and  that  before  all  present,  "  Behold, 
Lord,  the  half  of  my  goods  I  give  to  the  poor  ;  and  if  I 
have  taken  anything  from  any  man  by  false  accusation  (a 
supposition  intimating  an  affirmative),  I  restore  him  four- 
fold." This  being  thus,  Christ  doubleth  his  comfort,  saying 
to  him  also,  and  that  before  the  people,  "This  day  is  salvation 
come  to  this  house."  Then,  by  adding  the  next  words,  he  ex- 
pounds the  whole  of  the  matter,  "  For  I  am  come  to  seek  and 
save  that  which  was  lost" — to  seek  it  till  I  find  it,  to  save  it 
when  I  find  it.  He  finds  them  that  sought  him  not,  Rom. 
X.  20 ;  and,  as  in  the  case  of  Zaccheus,  behold  me  !  to  a 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  153 

people  that  asked  not  after  him.  So,  then,  seeing  Jesus 
findeth  this  publican  first,  preaching  salvation  to  him  be- 
fore he  came  do^vn  from  the  tree,  it  is  evident  he  received 
this  as  he  was  a  sinner  ;  from  which  faith  flowed  his  fol- 
lowing words  and  works  as  a  consequence. 

Sixthly,  "Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Verily  I  say  unto  thee, 
This  day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  paradise,"  Luke,  xxiii.  43. 

This  was  spoken  to  the  thief  upon  the  cross,  who  had 
lived  in  wickedness  all  his  days  ;  neither  had  he  so  much 
as  truly  repented — no,  not  till  he  came  to  die  ;  nay,  when 
he  first  was  hanged  he  then  fell  to  railing  on  Christ.  For 
though  Luke  leaves  it  out,  beginning  but  at  his  conversion ; 
yet  by  Matthew's  relating  the  whole  tragedy,  we  find  him 
at  first  as  bad  as  the  other.  Matt,  xxvii.  44.  This  man, 
then,  had  no  moral  righteousness,  for  he  had  lived  in  the 
breach  of  the  law  of  God.  Indeed,  by  faith  he  believed 
Christ  to  be  King,  and  that  when  dying  with  him.  But 
what  was  this  to  a  personal  performing  the  commandments  ? 
or  of  restoring  what  he  had  oft  taken  away  ?  Yea,  he  con- 
fesseth  his  death  to  be  just  for  his  sin  ;  and  so  leaning  upon 
the  mediation  of  Christ  he  goeth  out  of  the  world.  Now 
he  that  truly  confesseth  and  acknowledgeth  his  sin,  acknow- 
ledgeth  also  the  curse  to  be  due  thereto  from  the  righteous 
hand  of  God.  So,  then,  where  the  curse  of  God  is  due,  that 
man  wanteth  righteousness.  Besides,  he  that  makes  to  an- 
other for  help,  hath  by  that  condemned  his  own  (had  he 
any)  of  utter  insufficiency.  But  all  these  did  this  poor 
creature ;  Avherefore  he  must  stand  "  just  from  the  law  in 
the  sight  of  God  while  sinful  in  himself." 

Seventhly,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?"  Acts, 
ix.  6.  What  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  1  Ignorance  is  here 
set  forth  to  the  full.  He  hitherto  knew  not  Jesus,  neither 
what  he  would  have  him  to  do  ;  yet  a  mighty  man  for  the 
law  of  works,  and  for  zeal  towards  God  according  to  that. 
Thus  you  see  that  he  neither  knew  that  Christ  was  Lord, 
nor  what  was  his  mind  and  will — "  I  did  it  ignorantly,  in 
unbelief,"  1  Tim.  i.  13-15.  I  did  not  know  him  ;  I  did  not 
believe  he  was  to  save  us  ;  I  thought  I  must  be  saved  by 


154  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

living  righteously,  by  keeping  the  law  of  God.  This  thought 
kept  me  ignorant  of  Jesus,  and  of  justification  from  the 
curse  by  him.  Poor  Saul  !  how  many  fellows  hast  thou 
yet  alive  J — every  man  zealous  of  the  law  of  works,  yet  none 
of  them  know  the  law  of  grace  ;  each  of  them  seeking  for 
life  by  doing  the  law,  when  life  is  to  be  had  by  nought  but 
believing  in  Jesus  Christ. 

Eighthly,  "  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved,"  Acts,  xvi.  31. 

A  little  before,  we  find  Paul  and  Silas  in  the  stocks  for 
preaching  of  Jesus  Christ ;  in  the  stocks  in  the  inward 
prison  by  the  hands  of  a  sturdy  jailor ;  but  at  midnight, 
while  Paul  and  his  companion  sang  praises  to  God,  the 
foundations  of  the  prison  shook,  and  every  man's  bands  were 
loosed.  Now  the  jailor  being  awakened  by  the  noise  of 
this  shaking,  and  supposing  he  had  lost  his  prisoners,  drew 
his  sword,  with  intent  to  kill  himself ;  "  But  Paul  cried 
out.  Do  thyself  no  harm,  for  we  are  all  here.  Then  he  called 
for  a  light,  and  sprang  in,  and  came  trembling,  and  fell 
down  before  Paul  and  Silas,  and  brought  them  out,  and 
said.  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  In  all  this  rela- 
tion here  is  not  aught  that  can  justify  the  jailor.     For, 

1.  His  whole  life  was  idolatry,  cruelty,  and  enmity  to 
God.     Yea, 

2.  Even  now,  while  the  earthquake  shook  the  prison,  he 
had  murder  in  his  heart — yea,  and  in  his  intentions  too  ; 
murder,  I  say,  and  that  of  a  high  nature,  even  to  have  killed 
his  own  body  and  soul  at  once.     Well, 

3.  When  he  began  to  shake  under  the  fears  of  everlasting 
burnings,  yet  then  his  heart  was  wrapped  up  in  ignorance 
as  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ :  "  What  must 
I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  He  knew  not  what — no,  not  he.  His 
condition,  then,  was  this  :  he  neither  had  righteousness  to 
save  him,  nor  knew  he  how  to  get  it.  Now,  what  v/as  Paul's 
answer  ?  Why,  "  Believ'C  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (look  for 
righteousness  in  Christ),  and  then  thou  shalt  be  saved." 
This,  then,  still  holdeth  true,  "men  are  justified  from  the 
curse  in  the  siglit  of  God  whilst  sinners  in  themselves." 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  155 

I  should  now  come  to  the  second  conclusion — viz.,  that 
this  can  be  done  by  no  other  righteousness  than  that  long 
ago  performed  by,  and  remaining  with,  the  person  of  Christ. 
But  before  I  speak  to  that,  I  will  a  little  further  press  this, 
by  urging  for  it  several  reasons. 

The  first  reason. 

First,  Men  must  be  justified  from  the  curse  while  sinners 
in  themselves,  because  by  nature  all  are  under  sin — "  All 
have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God.  He  hath 
concluded  all  in  unbelief  ;  he  hath  concluded  all  under  sin," 
Romans,  iii.  23  ;  xi.  32  ;  Gal.  iii.  22.  Now  having  sinned, 
they  are  in  body  and  soul  defiled,  and  become  an  unclean 
thing.  Wherefore,  whatever  they  touch  with  an  intent  to 
work  out  righteousness  thereby,  they  defile  that  also.  And 
hence,  as  I  have  said,  all  the  righteousness  they  seek  to  ac- 
complish is  but  as  a  menstruous  cloth  and  filthy  rags ; 
therefore  they  are  sinners  still,"  Tit.  i.  15  ;  Lev.  xv.  11 ; 
Isa.  Ixiv.  6. 

Indeed,  to  some  men's  thinking,  the  Pharisee  is  holier 
than  the  Publican  ;  but  in  God's  sight,  in  the  eyes  of  Di- 
vine justice,  they  stand  alike  condemned — "  All  have  sin- 
ned ;"  there  is  the  poison.  Therefore,  as  to  God  without 
Christ  all  throats  are  an  open  sepulchre,  Matt,  xxiii.  27  ; 
Rom.  iii.  13. 

The  world  in  general  is  divided  into  two  sorts  of  sin- 
ners— 

1.  The  open  profane. 

2.  The  man  that  seeks  life  by  the  works  of  the  law.  The 
profane  is  judged  by  all ;  but  the  other  by  a  few.  Oh  !  but 
God  judgeth  him. 

First,  For  a  hypocrite  ;  because  that  notwithstanding  ho 
hath  sinned,  he  would  be  thought  to  be  good  and  righteous. 
And  hence  it  is  that  Christ  calls  such  kind  of  holy  ones,  "Pha- 
risees hypocrites,  Pharisees  hypocrites,"  because  by  their 
gay  outside  they  deceived  those  that  beheld  them.  But,  saith 
he,  "  God  sees  your  hearts  ;"  you  are  but  like  "  painted  se- 
pulchres, within  you  are  full  of  dead  men's  bones,"  Pro  v. 
xxx.  12  ;  Matt,  xxiii.  27-30  ;  Luke,  xi.  24  ;  xvi.  15.    Such 


156  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

is  the  root  from  whence  flows  all  their  righteousness.  But 
doth  the  blind  Pharisee  think  his  state  is  such  ?  No  ;  his 
thoughts  of  himself  are  far  otherwise — "  God,  I  thank  thee 
(saith  he)  I  am  not  as  other  men,  extortioners,  unjust,  adul- 
terers, or  even  like  this  Publican,"  chap,  xviii.  11,  12.  Ay, 
but  still  God  judgeth  him  for  a  hypocrite. 

Secondly,  God  judgeth  him  for  one  that  spumeth  against 
Christ,  even  by  every  such  work  he  doth.  And  hence  it  is, 
when  Paul  was  converted  to  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  calls  the 
righteousness  he  had  before,  madness,  blasphemy,  injury  ; 
because  what  he  did  to  save  himself  by  works  was  in  direct 
opposition  to  grace  by  Jesus  Christ,  Phil.  iii.  7,  8  ;  Acts, 
xxii.  3,  4  ;  xxvi.  4  ;  1  Tim.  i.  14,  15. 

Behold,  then,  the  evil  that  is  in  a  man's  owti  righteous- 
ness ! 

1.  It  curseth  and  condemneth  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 

2.  It  blindeth  the  man  from  seeing  his  misery, 

3.  It  hardeneth  his  heart  against  his  own  salvation. 

Thirdly,  But  again,  God  judgeth  such  for  those  that  con- 
demn him  of  foolishness — "  The  preaching  of  the  cross," 
that  is,  Christ  crucified,  "  is  to  them  that  perish  foolish- 
ness," 1  Cor.  i.  18,  23.  What !  saith  the  merit-monger 
(mine  ears  have  heard  all  this),  will  you  look  for  life  by  the 
obedience  of  another  man  %  Will  you  trust  to  the  blood 
that  was  shed  upon  the  cross,  that  run  down  to  the  ground, 
and  perished  in  the  dust  ?  Thus  deridingly  they  scoff  at, 
stumble  upon,  and  are  taken  in  the  gin  that  attends  the 
gospel  ;  not  to  salvation,  but  to  their  condemnation,  Isa. 
viii.  14  ;  because  they  have  condemned  the  Just,  that  they 
might  justify  their  own  filthy  righteousness. 

But,  I  say,  if  all  have  sinned,  if  all  are  defiled,  if  the  best 
of  a  man's  righteousness  be  but  madness,  blasphemy,  in- 
jury ;  if  for  their  righteousness  they  are  judged  hypocrites, 
condemned  as  opposers  of  the  gospel,  and  as  such  have 
counted  God  foolish  for  sending  his  Son  into  the  world  ; 
then  must  the  best  of  "  men  be  justified  from  the  curse  in 
the  sight  of  God  while  sinners  in  themselves  ;"  because  they 
still  stand  guilty  in  the  sight  of  God,  their  hearts  are  also 


BUT  BY  JESUS  OHUIST.  157 

still  filthy  infected — "  Though  thou  wash  thee  with  nitre, 
and  take  thee  much  soap,  yet  thine  iniquity  is  marked  be- 
fore me,  saith  the  Lord  God,"  Jer.  ii.  22.  It  stands  marked 
still  before  God.  So,  then,  what  esteem  soever  men  have 
of  the  righteousness  of  the  world,  yet  God  accounts  it  hor- 
rible wickedness,  and  the  greatest  enemy  that  Jesus  hath. 
Wherefore,  this  vine  is  the  vine  of  Sodom  ;  these  clusters 
are  the  clusters  of  Gomorrah  ;  these  grapes  are  grapes  of 
gall ;  these  clusters  are  bitter,  they  are  the  poison  of  dra- 
gons, and  the  cruel  venom  of  asps,  Matt.  iii.  7  ;  xxiii.  No 
marvel,  then,  if  John  in  his  ministry  gives  the  first  rebuke 
and  jostle  to  such,  still  calling  them  serpents  and  vipers, 
and  concluding  it  is  almost  impossible  they  should  escape 
the  damnation  of  hell  ;  for  of  all  sin,  man's  ow^n  righteous- 
ness in  special  bids  defiance  to  Jesus  Christ. 

The  second  reason. 

Secondly,  A  second  reason  why  men  must  stand  just  in 
the  sight  of  God  from  the  curse  while  sinners  in  themselves 
is,  because  of  the  exactions  of  the  law.  For  were  it  granted 
that  men's  good  works  arose  from  a  holy  root,  and  were 
perfect  in  their  kind,  yet  the  demand  of  the  law — for  that 
is  still  beyond  them — w^ould  leave  them  sinners  before  the 
justice  of  God,  1  Pet.  ii.  5  ;  Rev.  vii.  14-16  ;  Heb.  xiii.  8. 
And  hence  it  is  that  holy  men  stand  just  in  the  sight  of 
God  from  the  curse,  yet  dare  not  offer  their  gifts  by  the 
law,  but  through  Jesus  Christ,  knowing  that  not  only 
their  persons,  but  their  spiritual  service  also,  would  else  be 
rejected  of  the  heavenly  Majesty. 

For  the  law  is  itself  so  perfectly  holy  and  good  as  not  to 
admit  of  the  least  failure,  either  in  the  matter  or  manner 
of  obedience — "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in 
all  things  that  are  AA-ritten  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them.  For  they  that  shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet 
offend  in  one  point,  are  guilty  of  all,  and  convicted  of  the 
law  as  transgressors,"  Gal.  iii.  10;  James,  ii.  9,  10.  "Tri- 
bulation, therefore,  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man 
that  doth  evil,  of  the  Jew  first,  and  also  of  the  Gentile," 
Rom.  ii.  9. 


158  NO  WAY  TO  nEAVEN 

Ana  observe,  the  law  leaveth  thee  not  to  thy  choice, 
vjhen,  or  when  not,  to  begin  to  keep  it,  but  requireth  thy 
ol^edience  so  soon  as  concerned,  exactly,  both  as  to  the 
matter  and  manner,  and  that  before  thou  hast  sinned 
against  it ;  for  the  first  sin  breaks  the  law,  John,  iii.  18. 
Now,  if  thou  sinnest  before  thou  beginnest  to  do,  thou  art 
found  by  the  law  a  transgi-essor,  and  so  standest  by  that 
convicted  of  sin  ;  so,  then,  all  thy  after-acts  of  righteous- 
ness are  but  the  righteousness  of  a  sinner,  of  one  whom  the 
law  hath  condemned  already.  "  The  law  is  spiritual,  but 
thou  art  carnal,  sold  imder  sin,"  Rom.  vii.  14. 

Besides,  the  law  being  absolutely  perfect,  doth  not  only 
respect  the  matter  and  manner  as  to  outward  acts,  but  also 
the  rise  and  root,  the  heart,  fi'om  whence  they  flow  ;  and 
an  impediment  there  spoils  all,  were  the  executive  part  ne- 
ver so  good — "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
thy  heart,  with  all  thy  soul,  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with 
all  thy  strength,"  Mark,  xii.  30.  Mark  the  repetition,  with 
all,  with  all,  with  all,  with  all ;  with  all  thy  heart,  with 
all  thy  soul,  in  all  things,  at  all  times,  else  tliou  hadst  as 
good  do  nothing.  But  "  every  imagination  of  the  thought 
of  the  heart  of  man  is  only  evil  continually,"  Gen.  vi.  5. 
The  margin  hath  it,  the  "  whole  imagination,  the  purposes, 
and  desires  ;"  so  that  a  good  root  is  here  wanting.  "  The 
heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked  ; 
who  can  know  it  ?"  Jer.  xvii.  9.  What  thoughts,  words,  or 
actions  can  be  clean,  sufficiently  to  answer  a  perfect  law, 
that  flows  from  this  original ;  it  is  impossible.  "  Men  must 
therefore  be  justified  fi'om  the  curse  in  the  sight  of  God 
while  sinners  in  themselves." 

But  further  yet  to  open  the  case.  There  are  several 
things  that  make  it  impossible  that  a  man  should  stand 
just  in  the  sight  of  God  but  while  sinful  in  himself. 

First,  Because  the  law  under  which  he  at  present 
stands,  holds  him  under  the  dominion  of  sin  ;  for  sin  by 
the  law  hath  dominion  over  all  that  are  under  the  law, 
Bom,  vi.  14.  Dominion,  I  say,  both  as  to  guilt  and  filth. 
Guilt  hath  dominion  over  him,  because  he  is  under  the 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  159 

curse ;  and  filth,  because  the  law  giveth  him  no  power, 
neither  can  he  by  it  deliver  his  soul.  And  for  this  cause 
it  is  that  it  is  called  beggarly,  weak,  unprofitable  ;  impos- 
ing duty,  but  giving  no  strength.  Gal.  iii.  2 ;  iv,  9 ;  ex- 
pecting the  duty  should  be  complete,  yet  bendeth  not  the 
heart  to  do  the  work  ;  to  do  it,  I  say,  as  is  required,  Rom. 
viii.  3.  And  hence  it  is  again  that  it  is  called  a  void  of 
words,  Heb.  xii.  14  ;  for  as  words  that  are  barely  such  are 
void  of  spirit  and  quickening  life,  so  are  the  impositions  of 
the  law  of  works.  Thus  far,  therefore,  the  man  remailns  a 
sinner.     But, 

Secondly,  The  law  is  so  far  from  giving  life  or  strength 
to  do  it,  that  it  doth  quite  the  contrary.     For, 

1.  It  weakeneth,  it  discourageth,  and  dishearteneth  the 
sinner,  especially  when  it  shews  itself  in  its  glory  ;  for  then 
it  is  the  ministration  of  death,  and  killeth  all  the  world. 
When  Isj'ael  saw  this,  they  fled  fi'om  the  face  of  God ;  they 
could  not  endure  that  which  was  commanded  ;  yea,  so  ter- 
rible was  the  sight,  that  Moses  said,  "  I  exceedingly  fear 
and  quake,"  Exod.  xx.  18,  19  ;  Heb.  xii.  20,  21.  Yea,  al- 
most forty  years  after,  Moses  stood  amazed  to  find  himselt 
and  Israel  yet  alive — "  Did  ever  people,"  said  he,  "  hear  the 
voice  of  God  speaking  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire,  as  thou 
hast  done,  and  live  V  Dent,  iv.  32,  33. 

Alas  !  he  who  boasteth  himself  in  the  works  of  the  law, 
he  doth  not  hear  the  law  ;  when  that  speaks,  it  shakes 
Mount  Sinai,  and  writeth  death  upon  all  faces,  and  makes 
the  church  itself  cry  out,  A  mediator !  else  we  die,  Exod. 
XX.  19  ;  Deut.  v.  25-27  ;  xviii.  15,  19. 

2.  It  doth  not  only  thus  discourage,  but  abundantly  in- 
creaseth  every  sin. 

(1.)  Sin  takes  the  advantage  of  being  by  the  law  ;  the 
motions  of  sin  are  by  the  law.  Where  no  law  is,  there  is 
no  transgression,  Rom.  iv.  15  ;  vii.  5. 

(2.)  Sin  takes  an  occasion  to  live  by  the  law  :  "  When 
the  commandment  came,  sin  revived  ;  for  without  the  law, 
sin  is  dead,"  Rom.  vii.  8,  9. 


41 


]G0  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

(3.)  Sin  takes  an  occasion  to  multiply  by  the  law :  ''  The 
law  entered,  that  the  offence  might  abound,"  Rom.  v.  20. 

(4.)  "  And  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law,"  1  Cor.  xv.  56. 

(5.)  "  Sin  by  the  commandment  is  become"  outrageous, 
"  exceeding  sinful,"  Rom.  vii.  7,  8.  "  What  shall  we  say, 
then  1  Is  the  law  sin  ?  God  forbid.  Nay,  I  had  not  known 
sin,  but  by  the  law  :  for  I  had  not  kno\^Ti  lust,  except  the 
law  had  said.  Thou  shalt  not  covet.  But  sin,  taking  occa- 
sion by  the  commandment,  \ATOught  in  me  all  manner  of 
concupiscence.     For  without  the  law,  sin  is  dead." 

These  things,  then,  are  not  infused  or  operated  by  the 
law  from  its  ovm  nature  or  doctrine,  but  are  occasioned  by 
the  meeting  of,  and  having  to  do  with,  a  thing  directly  op- 
posite. "  The  law  is  spiritual,  I  am  carnal ;"  therefore 
every  imposition  is  rejected  and  rebelled  against.  Strike  a 
steel  against  a  flint,  and  the  fire  flies  about  you  ;  strike  the 
law  against  a  carnal  heart,  and  sin  appears,  sin  multiplies, 
sin  rageth,  sin  is  strengthened.  And  hence  ariseth  all  these 
doubts,  murmurings,  and  sinful  complainings  that  are  found 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  God  ;  they  have  too  much  to 
do  with  the  law  ;  the  law  of  works  is  now  in  the  conscience, 
imposing  duty  upon  thq  carnal  part.  This  is  the  reason  of 
the  noise  that  you  hear,  and  of  the  sin  that  you  see,  and  of 
the  horror  that  you  feel  in  your  own  souls  when  tempted. 
But  to  pass  this  digression. 

The  law,  then,  having  to  do  with  carnal  men,  by  this 
they  become  worse  sinners  than  before  ;  for  their  heart  now 
recoileth  desperately,  opposeth  blasphemously  ;  it  giveth 
way  to  despair  ;  and  then,  to  conclude,  there  is  no  hope  for 
hereafter  ;  and  so  goeth  on  in  a  sordid,  ungodly  course  of 
life,  till  his  time  is  come  to  die  and  be  damned,  unless  a 
miracle  of  grace  prevent.  From  all  this  I  conclude,  that 
"  a  man  cannot  stand  just  from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of 
God  but  while  sinful  in  himself."     But, 

Thirdly,  As  the  law  giveth  neither  strength  nor  life  to 
keep  it,  so  it  neither  giveth  nor  worketh  repentance  unto 
life  if  thou  break  it — Do  this  and  live,  break  it  and  die  ; 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CURIST.  ICl 

this  is  the  voice  of  the  law.  All  the  repentance  that  such 
men  have,  it  is  but  that  of  themselves,  the  sorrow  of  the 
world  (2  Cor.  vii.  10)  that  endeth  in  death,  as  Cain's  and 
Judas's  did,  even  such  a  repentance  as  must  be  repented  of 
either  here  or  in  hell-fire. 

Fourthly^  As  it  giveth  none,  so  it  accepteth  none  of  thein 
that  are  under  the  law,  Gal.  v.  9.  Sin  and  die,  is  for  ever 
its  language  ;  there  is  no  middle  way  in  the  law  ;  they 
must  bear  their  judgment,  whosoever  they  be,  that  stand 
and  fall  to  the  law.  Therefore  Cain  was  a  vagabond  still, 
and  Judas  hangeth  himself ;  their  repentance  could  not  save 
them,  they  fell  headlong  under  the  law.  Gen.  iv.  9-11  ; 
Matt,  xxvii.  3.  The  law  stays  no  man  from  the  due  reward  of 
his  deeds  ;  it  hath  no  ears  to  hear  nor  heart  to  pity  its  peni- 
tent ones. 

Fifthly,  By  the  law,  God  will  shew  no  mercy  ;  for,  "  I 
will  be  merciful  to  their  unrighteousness,"  is  the  tenour  of 
another  covenant,  Heb.  viii.  9,  10,  &c.  But  by  the  law  I 
regard  them  not,  saith  the  Lord.     For, 

Sixthly,  All  the  promise>s  annexed  to  the  law  are  by  the 
first  sin  null  and  void.  Though  then  a  man  should  live 
a  thousand  years  twice  told,  and  all  that  while  fulfil  the 
law,  yet  having  sinned  first,  he  is  not  at  all  the  better.  Our 
legalists,  then,  begin  to  talk  too  soon  of  having  life  by  the 
law  :  let  them  first  begin  without  sin,  and  so  throughout 
continue  to  death,  and  then  if  God  will  save  them,  not  by 
Christ,  but  works,  contrary  to  the  covenant  of  grace,  they 
may  hope  to  go  to  heaven. 

But,  lastly,  to  come  close  to  the  point.  Thou  hast  sinned ; 
the  law  now  calls  for  passive  as  well  as  active  obedience  ; 
yea,  great  contentedness  in  all  thou  sufFerest  for  thy  trans- 
gressing against  the  law.  So,  then,  wilt  thou  live  by  the 
law  1  Fulfil  it,  then,  perfectly  till  death,  and  afterwards 
go  to  hell  and  be  damned,  and  abide  there  till  the  law  and 
curse  for  thy  sin  be  satisfied  for  ;  and  then,  but  not  till 
then,  thou  shalt  have  life  by  the  law. 

Tell  me  now,  you  that  desire  to  be  under  the  law,  can 
you  fulfil  all  the  commands  of  the  law,  and  after  answer 

L 


162  NO  WAT  TO  HEAYEN 

all  its  demands  ?  Can  you  grapple  Avith  the  judgment  of 
God  ?  Can  you  wrestle  with  the  Almighty  ?  Are  you 
stronger  than  he  that  made  the  heavens,  and  that  holdeth 
angels  in  everlasting  chains  ?  "  Can  thine  heart  endure, 
or  can  thy  hands  be  strong  in  the  day  that  I  shall  deal 
with  thee  ?  I,  saith  the  Lord,  have  spoken  it ;  I  will  do 
it,"  Ezek.  xxii.  14.  Oh,  it  cannot  be  !  "  These  must  go 
away  into  everlasting  punishment,"  Matt.  xxv.  46.  So, 
then,  "  men  must  stand  just  from  the  curse  in  the  sight  of 
God  while  sinners  in  themselves,"  or  not  at  all. 

Object.  But  the  apostle  saith,  "  That  the  doers  of  the 
law  shall  be  justified,"  Rom.  ii.  13,  plainly  intimating  that, 
notwithstanding  all  you  say,  some  by  doing  the  law  may 
stand  just  before  God  thereby ;  and  if  so,  then  Christ  fulfilled 
it  for  us  but  as  our  example. 

Aiisw.  The  consequences  are  not  true ;  for  by  these 
words,  "  The  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified,"  there  is 
no  more  proof  of  a  possibility  of  saving  thyself  by  the  law 
than  there  is  by  these  :  "  For  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall 
no  man  living  be  justified  in  his  sight,"  Gal.  ii.  16.  The 
intent,  then,  of  the  text  objected  is  not  to  prove  a  possi- 
bility of  man's  salvation  by  the  law,  but  to  insinuate  rather 
an  impossibility,  by  asserting  what  perfections  the  law  re- 
quireth.  And  were  I  to  argue  against  the  pretended  suf- 
ficiency of  man's  own  righteousness,  I  would  choose  to 
frame  mine  argument  upon  such  a  place  as  this — "  The 
hearers  of  the  law  are  not  just  before  God  ;"  therefore  the 
breakers  of  the  law  are  not  just  before  God  ;  not  just,  I  say, 
by  the  law  ;  but  all  have  sinned  and  broken  the  law  ;  there- 
fore none  by  the  law  are  just  before  God.  For  if  all  stand 
guilty  of  sin  by  the  law,  then  that  law  that  judgeth  them 
sinners  cannot  justify  them  before  God.  And  what  if  the 
apostle  had  said,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  continue  in  all 
things,"  instead  of  pronouncing  a  curse  for  the  contrary, 
the  conclusion  had  been  the  same  ;  for  where  the  blessing 
is  pronounced,  he  is  not  the  better  that  breaks  the  condi- 
tion ;  and  where  the  curse  is  pronounced,  he  is  not  the 
worse  that  keeps  it.     But  neither  doth  the  blessing  nor 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  163 

curse  in  the  law  intend  a  supposition  that  men  may  be  just 
by  the  law,  but  rather  to  shew  the  perfection  of  the  law, 
and  that  though  a  blessing  be  annexed  thereto,  no  man  by 
it  can  obtain  that  blessing  ;  for  not  the  hearers  of  the  law 
are  justified  before  God,  but  the  doers,  when  they  do  it, 
shall  be  justified.  None  but  doers  can  by  it  be  just  bcforo 
God  ;  but  none  do  the  law,  no,  not  one,  Rom.  iii.  10,  11  ; 
therefore  none  by  it  can  stand  just  before  God. 

And  whereas  it  is  said  Christ  kept  the  law  as  our  ex- 
ample, that  we  by  keeping  it  might  get  to  heaven,  as  he,  it 
is  false,  as  before  was  shewn — "  He  is  the  end  of  the  law," 
or,  hath  perfectly  finished  it,  "  for  righteousness  to  every 
one  that  believeth,"  Rom.  x.  3,  4. 

But  a  little  to  travel  with  this  objection  :  no  man  can 
keep  the  moral  law  as  Christ,  unless  he  be  first  without 
sin,  as  Christ ;  unless  he  be  God  and  man,  as  Christ. 

And  again  ;  Christ  cannot  be  our  pattern  in  keeping  the 
law  for  life,  because  of  the  disproportion  that  is  between 
him  and  us  ;  for  if  we  do  it  as  he  when  yet  we  are  weaker 
than  he,  what  is  this  but  to  outvie,  outdo,  and  go  beyond 
Christ  ?  Wherefore  we,  not  he,  have  our  lives  exemplary  : 
exemplary,  I  say,  to  him  ;  for  who  doth  the  greatest  work, 
they  that  take  it  in  banc  in  full  strength,  as  Christ ;  or  he 
that  takes  it  in  hand  in  weakness,  as  we  1  Doubtless  the 
last,  if  he  fulfils  it  as  Christ.  So,  then,  by  this  doctrine, 
while  we  call  ourselves  his  scholars,  we  make  ourselves  in- 
deed the  masters.  Btit  I  challenge  all  the  angels  in  hea- 
ven, let  them  but  first  sin  as  we  have  done,  to  fulfil  the 
law,  as  Christ,  if  they  can. 

But  again  ;  if  Christ  be  our  pattern  in  keeping  the  law 
for  life  from  the  curse  before  God,  then  Christ  fulfilled  the 
law  for  himself  ;  if  so,  he  was  imperfect  before  he  fulfilled 
it.  And  how  far  short  this  is  of  blasphemy  let  sober 
Christians  judge  ;  for  the  righteousness  he  fulfilled  was 
to  justify  fi-om  sin  ;  but  if  it  was  not  to  justify  us  from 
ours,  you  know  what  remaineth,  Dan.  ix.  26  ;  Isa.  liii. 
8-10. 

But  when  must  we   conclude  we  have  kept  the  law  ? 


164  KO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

Not  when  we  begin,  because  we  have  sinned  first  ;  nor 
when  we  are  in  the  middle,  for  we  may  afterwards  mis- 
carry. But  what  if  a  man  in  this  his  progress  hath  one 
sinful  thought  ?  I  query,  is  it  possible  to  come  up  to  the 
pattern  for  justification  with  God  1  If  yea,  then  Christ 
had  such  ;  if  no,  then  who  can  fulfil  the  law  as  he  ? 

But  should  I  grant  that  which  is  indeed  impossible — 
namely,  that  thou  art  justified  by  the  law  ;  what  then  1 
Art  thou  now  in  the  favour-  of  God  ?  No,  thou  art  fallen 
by  this  thy  perfection  from  the  love  and  mercy  of  God  : 
"  Whosoever  of  you  are  justified  by  the  law  are  fallen  from 
grace,"  Gal.  v.  4,  5.  He  speaks  not  this  to  them  that  are 
doing,  but  to  such  as  think  they  have  done  it,  and  shews 
that  the  blessing  that  these  have  got  thereby  is  to  fall  from 
the  favour  of  God.  Being  fallen  from  grace,  Christ  profits 
them  nothing,  and  so  they  still  stand  debtors  to  do  the 
whole  law. 

So,  then,  they  must  not  be  saved  by  God's  mercy,  nor 
Christ's  merits,  but  alone  by  the  works  of  the  law.  But 
what  should  such  men  do  in  that  kingdom  that  comes  by 
gift,  where  grace  and  mercy  reigns  ?  Yea,  what  should 
they  do  among  that  company  that  are  saved  alone  by  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ  ?  Let  them 
go  to  that  kingdom  that  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
are  fallen  ft-om  grace.  "  Cast  out  the  bond- woman,  with 
her  son  ;  for  he  shall  not  be  heir  with  the  son  of  the  pro- 
mise," Gal.  iv.  30. 

But  to  pass  this  objection.  Before  I  come  to  the  next 
reason,  I  shall  yet  for  the  frn-ther  clearing  of  this  urge 
these  scriptures  more.  The  first  is  that  in  Gal.  iii.  1 0,  "  As 
many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse." 
Behold,  how  boldly  Paul  asserts  it  !  And  observe  it,  he 
saith  not  here,  so  many  as  sin  against  the  law  (though  that 
be  true),  but,  "  As  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law." 
But  what,  then,  are  the  works  of  the  law  1  Not  whore- 
dom, murder,  theft,  and  the  like  ;  but  works  that  are  holy 
and  good,  the  works  commanded  in  the  ten  commandments, 
as  to  love  God,  abhor  idols,  reverence  the  name  of  God, 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  165 

keeping  the  sa])'bath,  honouring  thy  parents,  abstaining 
from  adultery,  murder,  theft,  false-witness,  and  not  to  covet 
what  is  thy  neighbour's — these  are  the  works  of  the  law. 
Now  he,  saith  Paul,  that  is  of  these  is  under  the  curse  of 
God.  But  what  is  it  then  to  be  of  these  ?  Why,  to  be  found 
in  the  practice  of  them,  and  there  resting  ;  this  is  the  man 
that  is  under  the  curse  :  not  because  the  works  of  the  law 
are  wicked  in  themselves,  but  because  the  man  that  is  in 
the  practice  of  them  comes  short  of  answering  the  exactness 
of  them,  and  therefore  dies  for  his  imperfections,  Rom.  ii.  17. 
The  second  scripture  is  that  of  the  11th  verse  of  the  same 
chapter,  "  But  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the  law  in  the 
sight  of  God,  it  is  evident :  for,  the  just  shall  live  by  faith." 
These  words,  "  the  just  shall  live  by  faith,"  are  taken  out 
of  the  Old  Testament,  and  are  thrice  used  by  this  apostle  in 
the  New, 

1.  To  shew  that  nothing  of  the  gospel  can  be  apprehended 
but  by  faith  :  "  For  therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  re- 
vealed from  faith  to  faith."  "  As  it  is  wi-itten,  The  just 
shall  live  by  faith,"  Rom.  i.  17  ;  Heb.  x.  38. 

2.  To  shew  that  the  way  to  have  relief  and  succour  un- 
der temptation  is  then  to  live  by  faith :  "  Now  the  just 
shall  live  by  faith."  '~ 

3.  But  in  this  of  the  Galatians  it  is  urged  to  shew  that 
how  holy  and  just  soever  men  be  in  themselves,  yet  as  such 
they  are  dead,  and  condemned  to  death  by  the  law  before 
God.  "  But  that  no  man  is  justified  by  the  law  in  the  sight 
of  God  is  evident :  for,  the  just  shall  live  by  faith." 

The  word  "  just,"  therefore,  in  this  place  in  special,  re- 
specteth  a  man  that  is  just,  or  that  so  esteems  himself  by 
the  law,  and  is  here  considered  in  a  double  capacity. 

First,  What  he  is  before  men. 

Secondly,  What  he  is  before  God. 

1.  As  he  stands  before  men,  he  is  just  by  the  law ;  as 
Paul  before  his  conversion,  Phil.  iii.  4. 

2.  As  he  stands  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  so,  without  the  faith 
of  Christ,  he  cannot  be  just,  as  is  evident ;  for  the  just  shall 
live,  not  by  his  justice  or  righteousness  by  the  law. 


166  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

This  is  the  true  intent  of  this  place, 

1,  Because  they  carry  with  them  a  supposition  that  the 
just  here  intended  may  be  excluded  life,  he  falling  within 
the  rejection  asserted  within  the  first  part  of  the  verse.  No 
man  is  just  hy  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  for  "  the  just 
shall  live  hy  faith  :"  his  justice  cannot  make  him  live,  he 
must  live  by  the  faith  of  Christ.     Again, 

2.  The  words  are  a  reason  dissuasive,  urged  to  put  a  stop 
to  those  that  are  seeking  life  by  the  law  ;  as  if  the  apostle 
had  said.  Ye  Galatians  !  what  are  you  doing  1  Would  you 
be  saved  by  keeping  the  law  1  Would  you  stand  just  be- 
fore God  thereby  ?  Do  you  not  hear  the  prophets,  how 
they  press  faith  in  Jesus,  and  life  by  faith  in  him  1  Come, 
I  will  reason  with  you, 

1.  By  way  of  supposition.  Were  it  granted  that  you  all 
loved  the  law,  yet  that  for  life  will  avail  you  nothing  ;  for, 
"  the  just  shall  live  by  faith." 

2.  Were  it  granted  that  you  kept  the  law,  and  that  no 
man  on  earth  could  accuse  you  ;  were  you  therefore  just 
before  God  ?  No  ;  neither  can  you  live  by  works  before 
him  ;  for  "  the  just  shall  live  by  faith."  Why  not  live  be- 
fore him  1  Because  when  we  have  done  our  best,  and  are 
applauded  of  all  the  world  for  just,  yet  then  God  sees  sin 
in  our  hearts  :  "  He  putteth  no  trust  in  his  saints  ;  yea,  the 
heavens  are  not  clean  in  his  sight,"  Job,  iv.  18.  There  is 
then  a  just  man  that  perisheth  in  his  righteousness,  if  he 
want  the  faith  of  Christ,  Job,  xv.  15  ;  for  that  no  man  is 
"  justified  by  the  law  in  the  sight  of  God  it  is  evident ;  for, 
the  just  shall  live  by  faith  ;"  and  the  law  is  not  of  faith. 

The  third  scripture  is  this — "  We  who  are  Jews  by  na- 
ture, and  not  sinners  of  the  Gentiles,  knowing  that  a  man 
is  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ,  even  we  have  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  that 
we  might  be  justified  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  not  by  the 
works  of  the  law  :  for  by  the  works  of  the  law  shall  no 
flesh  be  justified,"  Gal.  ii.  15,  16. 

These  words  are  the  result  of  the  experienced  Christians 
in  the  primitive  times  ;  yea,  of  those  among  them  that  had 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  1G7 

given  up  themselves  before  to  the  law,  to  get  life  and  hea- 
ven thereby  ;  the  result,  I  say,  of  believing  Jews — we  who 
are  Jews  by  nature.  But  how  are  they  distinguished  from 
the  Gentiles  ?  Why,  they  are  such  that  rest  in  the  law, 
and  make  their  boast  of  God  ;  that  know  his  will,  and 
approve  the  things  that  are  excellent ;  that  are  guides  to 
the  blind,  and  a  light  to  them  that  are  in  darkness  ;  that 
are  instructors  of  the  foolish,  teachers  of  babes,  and  which 
nave  the  form  of -knowledge,  and  of  the  truth  of  the  law," 
Rom.  ii.  17-19. 

How  far  these  attained  we  find  by  that  of  the  Pharisee 
— I  pray,  I  fast,  I  give  tithes  of  all ;  and  by  the  young 
man  in  the  gospel — "  All  these  have  I  kept  from  my  youth 
up,"  Luke,  xviii.  11,  12;  and  by  that  of  Paul — "  Touching 
the  righteousness  which  is  in  the  law,  blameless,"  Phil, 
iii.  This  was  the  Jew  by  nature,  to  do  and  trust  in  this. 
Now  these  attaining  afterwards  the  sound  knowledge  of  sin, 
the  depravedness  of  nature,  and  the  exactions  of  the  law, 
Hed  from  the  command  of  the  law  to  the  Lord  Jesus  for 
life.  We  know  it  ;  we  that  are  taught  of  God,  and  that 
have  found  it  by  sad  experience,  we,  even  we,  have  believed 
in  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  might  be  justified  by  the  faith  of 
Christ,  and  not  by  the  works  of  the  law. 

Surely,  if  righteousness  had  come  by  the  law,  Paul  and 
the  Jews  had  found  it,  they  being  by  many  privileges  far 
better  than  the  sinners  of  the  Gentiles  ;  but  these,  when 
they  received  the  word  of  the  gospel,  even  these  now  fly  to 
Christ  from  the  law,  that  they  might  be  justified  by  the 
faith  of  Christ,  and  not  by  the  works  of  the  law. 

To  conclude  this.  If  righteous  men,  through  the  know- 
ledge of  the  gospel,  are  made  to  leave  the  law  of  God,  as 
despairing  of  life  thereby,  sui'ely  righteousness  is  not  to  be 
found  in  the  law  ;  I  mean  that  which  can  justify  thee  be- 
fore God  from  the  curse  who  livest  and  walkest  in  the 
law. 

I  shall  therefore  end  this  second  reason  with  what  I  have 
said  before — "  Men  must  be  justified  from  the  curse  in  the 
sight  of  God  while  sinful  in  themselves." 


J68  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

The  third  reason. 

Thirdly,  Another  reason  why  not  one  under  heaven  can 
he  justified  by  the  law,  or  by  his  own  personal  perform- 
ances to  it,  is,  because  since  sin  was  in  the  world  God  hath 
rejected  the  law  and  the  works  thereof  for  life,  Rom. 
vii.  10. 

It  is  true,  before  man  had  sinned,  it  was  ordained  to  be 
unto  life  ;  but  since,  and  because  of  sin,  the  God  of  love 
gave  the  word  of  grace.  Take  the  law,  then,  as  God  hath 
established  it — to  wit,  to  condemn  all  flesh,  Gal.  iii.  21  ; 
and  then  there  is  room  for  the  promise  and  the  law,  the 
one  to  kill,  the  other  to  heal ;  and  so  the  law  is  not  against 
the  promises,  Rom.  iv.  14  ;  but  make  the  law  a  justifier, 
and  faith  is  made  void,  and  the  promise  is  made  of  none 
effect ;  and  the  everlasting  gospel,  by  so  doing,  thou  en- 
deavourest  to  root  out  of  the  world. 

Methinks,  since  it  hath  pleased  God  to  reject  the  law 
and  the  righteousness  thereof  for  life,  such  dust  and  ashes 
as  we  are  should  strive  to  consent  to  his  holy  will,  espe- 
cially when  in  the  room  of  this  of  works  there  is  esta- 
blished a  better  covenant,  and  that  upon  better  promises. 

The  Lord  hath  rejected  the  law,  for  the  weakness  and 
unprofitableness  thereof ;  for  finding  fault  with  them  of  the 
law,  "  The  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  make  a 
new  covenant  with  the  house  of  Israel,"  &c.,  Heb.  viii. 
7,  8.  Give  God  leave  to  find  fault  with  us,  and  to  condemn 
our  personal  performances  to  death,  as  to  our  justification 
before  him  thereby  ;  let  him  do  it,  I  say  ;  and  the  rather, 
because  he  doth  by  the  gospel  present  us  with  a  better. 
And  certainly,  if  ever  he  be  pleased  with  us,  it  will  be  when 
he  findeth  us  in  that  righteousness  that  is  of  his  own  ap- 
pointing. 

To  conclude.  Notwithstanding  all  that  hath  or  can  be 
said,  there  are  six  things  that  have  great  power  with  the 
heart  to  bend  it  to  seek  life  before  God  by  the  law  ;  of  all 
which  I  would  caution  that  soul  to  beware  that  woiild  have 
happiness  in  another  world. 

First,  Take  heed  thou  be  not  ma.de  to  seek  to  the  law 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CnRTST.  109 

for  life,  because  of  that  name  and  majesty  of  God  wliich 
thou  findest  upon  the  doctrine  of  the  law,  Exodus,  xx.  1, 
God  indeed  spake  all  the  ■words  of  the  law,  and  delivered 
them  in  that  dread  and  majesty  to  men  that  shook  the 
hearts  of  all  that  heard  it.  Now  this  is  of  great  authority 
with  some,  even  to  seek  for  life  and  bliss  by  the  law  :  "  We 
know,"  said  some,  "  that  God  spake  to  Moses,"  John,  ix. 
28,  29.  And  Saul  rejected  Christ  even  of  zeal  towards 
God,  Acts,  xxii.  3.  What  zeal  ?  Zeal  towards  God  ac- 
cording to  the  law,  which  afterwards  he  left  and  rejected, 
because  he  had  found  out  a  better  way.  Gal.  ii.  20.  The 
life  that  he  once  lived,  it  was  by  the  law,  but  afterwards, 
saith  he,  the  life  that  I  now  live  it  is  by  faith,  by  the  faith 
of  Jesus  Christ.  So  that,  though  the  law  was  the  appoint- 
ment of  God,  and  had  also  his  name  and  majesty  upon  it, 
yet  now  he  will  not  live  by  the  law.  Indeed,  God  is  in 
the  law,  but  yet  only  as  just  and  holy,  not  as  gracious  and 
merciful ;  so  he  is  only  in  Jesus  Christ.  "  The  laAv,"  the 
word  of  justice,  "  was  given  by  Moses,  but  grace  and 
truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ,"  John,  i.  17.  Wherefore, 
whatever  of  God  thou  findest  in  the  law,  yet  seeing 
grace  and  mercy  is  not  there,  let  neither  the  name  of  God 
nor  that  majesty  that  thou  findest  of  him  in  the  law  pre- 
vail with  thee  to  seek  life  by  all  the  holy  commands  of  the 
law. 

Secondly,  Take  heed  that  the  law,  by  taking  hold  on  thy 
conscience,  doth  not  make  thee  seek  life  by  the  law,  Rom.  ii. 
13-15.  The  heart  of  man  is  the  seat  of  the  law  ;  this  being 
so,  the  understanding  and  conscience  must  needs  be  in  dan- 
ger of  being  bound  by  the  law.  Man  is  a  law  unto  him- 
self, and  sheweth  that  the  works  of  the  law  are  A\Titten  in 
his  heart.  Now  the  law  being  thus  nearly  related  to  man, 
it  easily  takes  hold  of  the  understanding  and  conscience  ; 
by  which  hold,  if  it  be  not  quickly  broken  off  by  the  pro- 
mise and  grace  of  the  gospel,  it  is  captivated  to  the  works 
of  the  law  ;  for  conscience  is  such  a  thing,  that  if  it  once 
be  possessed  with  a  doctrine,  yea,  though  but  with  the  doc- 
trine of  an  idol  (1  Cor.  viii.  6,  7),  it  will  cleave  so  fast 


170  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

thereto  that  nothing  but  a  hand  from  heaven  can  loosen  it ; 
and  if  it  be  not  loosed,  no  gospel  can  be  there  embraced. 
Conscience  is  Little-ease,  if  men  resist  it,  whether  it  be 
rightly  or  ^^Tongly  informed.  How  fast,  then,  will  it  hold 
when  it  knows  it  cleaves  to  the  law  of  God  !  Upon  this 
account  the  condition  of  the  unbeliever  is  most  miserable  ; 
for  not  having  faith  in  the  gospel  of  grace,  through  which 
is  tendered  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  they,  like  men  dro^\^l- 
ing,  hold  fast  that  they  have  found  ;  which  being  the  law 
of  God,  they  follow  it ;  but  because  righteousness  flies  from 
them,  they  at  last  are  found  only  accursed  and  condemned 
to  hell  by  the  law,  Rom  ix.  31,  32.  Take  heed,  therefore, 
that  thy  conscience  be  not  entangled  by  the  law. 

Thirdly,  Take  heed  of  fleshly  wisdom.  Reasoning  suit- 
eth  much  with  the  law — "  I  thought  verily  that  I  ought  to 
do  many  things  against  the  name  of  Jesus,"  and  so  to  have 
sought  for  life  by  the  law  ;  my  reason  told  me  so.  For 
thus  will  reason  say  :  Here  is  a  righteous  law,  the  rule  of 
life  and  death  ;  besides,  what  can  be  better  than  to  love 
God,  and  my  neighbour  as  myself  ?  Again  ;  God  hath  thus 
commanded,  and  his  commands  are  just  and  good  ;  there- 
fore, doubtless,  life  must  come  by  the  law.  Further,  to 
love  God  and  keep  the  law  are  better  than  to  sin  and  break 
it  ;  and  seeing  men  lost  heaven  b}''  sin,  how  should  they 
get  it  again  but  by  working  righteousness  ?  Besides,  God 
is  righteous,  and  will  therefore  bless  the  righteous.  Oh, 
the  holiness  of  the  law  !  It  mightily  swayeth  with  rea- 
son when  a  man  addicteth  himself  to  religion  ;  the  light  of 
nature  teacheth  that  sin  is  not  the  way  to  heaven  ;  and  seeing 
no  word  doth  more  condemn  sin  than  the  Avords  of  the  ten  com- 
mandments, it  must  needs  be  therefore  the  most  perfect  rule 
for  holiness  ;  wherefore,  saith  reason,  the  safest  way  to  life 
and  glory  is  to  keep  myself  close  to  the  law.  But  a  little 
here  to  con-ect.  Though  the  law  indeed  be  holy,  yet  the 
mistake  as  to  the  matter  in  hand  is  as  wide  as  the  east 
from  the  west  ;  for  therefore  the  law  can  do  thee  no  good, 
because  it  is  holy  and  just ;  for  what  can  he  that  hath 
sinned  expect  from  a  law  that  is  holy  and  just  ?     Nought 


BUT  BY  JESU3  CHRIST.  171 

but  condemnation.  Let  them  lean  to  it  while  they  will, 
*' there  is  one  that  aeeuseth  you,"  saith  Christ,  "even Moses 
in  whom  you  trust,"  John,  v.  45. 

Fourthly,  Man's  ignorance  of  the  gospel  suiteth  well  with 
the  doctrine  of  the  law  ;  they,  through  their  heing  igno- 
rant of  God's  righteousness,  fall  in  love  with  that,  Rom.  x. 
1-4.  Yea,  they  do  not  only  suit,  but,  when  joined  in  act, 
tlie  one  strengtheneth  the  other — that  is,  the  law  strength- 
eneth  our  blindness,  and  bindeth  the  veil  more  fast  about 
the  face  of  our  souls.  The  law  suiteth  much  our  blindness 
of  mind,  "  For  mitil  this  day  remains  the  veil  untaken 
away  in  the  reading  of  the  Old  Testament"  (2  Cor.  iii. 
15,  16),  especially  in  the  reading  of  that  which  was  written 
and  engraven  on  stones — to  wit,  the  ten  commandments, 
that  peifect  rule  for  holiness, — which  veil  is  done  away  in 
Christ.  But  "  even  to  this  day,  when  Moses  is  read,  the 
veil  is  over  their  hearts  ;"  they  are  blinded  by  the  duties 
enjoined  by  the  law  fi-om  the  sight  and  hopes  of  forgiveness 
of  sins  by  grace — "  Nevertheless  when  it  (the  heart)  shall 
turn  to  the  Lord,  the  veil  shall  be  taken  away."  The  law, 
then,  doth  veil  the  heart  fr-om  Christ,  and  holds  the  man  so 
down  to  doing  and  working  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
that  he  quite  forgets  the  forgiveness  of  sins  by  mercy 
through  Christ.  Now  this  veiling  or  blinding  by  the  law 
is  occasioned, 

L  By  reason  of  the  contrariety  of  doctrine  that  is  in  the 
law  to  that  which  was  in  the  gospel.  The  law  requireth 
obedience  to  all  its  demands  upon  pain  of  everlasting  burn- 
ing ;  the  gospel  promiseth  forgiveness  of  sins  to  him  that 
v>»3rketh  not,  but  believeth.  Now  the  heart  cannot  receive 
both  these  doctrines ;  it  must  either  let  go  doing  or  believ- 
ing. If  it  believe,  it  is  dead  to  doing  ;  if  it  be  set  to  doing 
for  life,  it  is  dead  to  belie\dng.  Besides,  he  that  shall  think 
both  to  do  and  believe  for  justification  before  God  from  the 
curse,  he  seeks  for  life  but  as  it  were  by  the  law,  he  seeks 
for  life  but  as  it  were  by  Christ  ;  and  he  being  not  direct 
in  either,  shall  for  certain  be  forsaken  of  both.     Where- 


172  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

fore  ?     "  Because  he  seeks  it  not  by  faith,  but  as  it  were 
by  the  works  of  the  law,"  Rom.  ix.  32, 

2.  The  law  veils  and  blinds  by  that  guilt  and  horror  for 
sin  that  seizeth  the  soul  by  the  law  ;  for  guilt,  when 
charged  close  upon  the  conscience,  is  attended  with  such 
aggravations,  and  that  with  such  power  and  evidence,  that 
the  conscience  cannot  hear,  nor  see,  nor  feel  anything  else 
but  that.  When  David's  guilt  for  murder  and  blood  did 
roar  by  the  law  in  his  conscience,  notwithstanding  he  knew 
much  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  he  could  hear  nothing  else 
but  terror,  the  sound  of  blood  ;  the  murder  of  Uriah  was 
the  only  noise  that  he  heard  ;  wherefore  he  crieth  to  God 
that  he  would  nnahe  him  hear  the  gospel :  "  Make  me  to 
hear  joy  and  gladness,  that  the  bones  which  thou  hast 
broken  may  rejoice,"  Psalm  li.  8.  And  as  he  could  not 
Aear,  so  neither  could  he  see  ;  the  law  had  struck  him  deaf 
and  blind  :  "  I  am  (saith  he)  not  able  to  look  up  ;"  not  up 
to  Christ  for  mercy.  As  if  David  had  said,  0  Lord,  the 
guilt  of  sin,  which  is  by  the  law,  makes  such  a  noise  and 
horror  in  my  conscience,  that  I  can  neither  hear  nor  see 
the  word  of  peace,  unless  it  is  spoken  with  a  voice  from 
heaven  !  The  serpents  that  bit  the  people  in  the  days  of 
old  were  types  of  guilt  and  sin,  K^um.  xxi.  6.  Now  these 
w^ere  fiery  serpents,  and  such  as,  I  think,  coiild  fly,  Isa. 
xiv,  29  ;  wherefore,  in  my  judgment,  they  stung  the  people 
about  their  faces,  and  so  swelled  up  their  eyes,  which  made 
it  the  more  difficult  for  them  to  look  up  to  the  brazen  ser- 
pent, which  was  the  type  of  Christ,  John,  iii.  14.  Just  so 
doth  sin  by  the  law  do  now  ;  it  stings  the  soul,  the  very 
face  of  the  soul,  which  is  the  cause  that  looking  up  to  Jesus, 
or  believing  in  him,  is  so  difficult  a  task  in  time  of  terror 
of  conscience. 

3.  This  is  not  only  so  at  present,  but  so  long  as  guilt  is 
on  the  conscience,  so  long  remains  the  blindness  ;  for  guilt 
standing  before  the  soul,  the  grace  of  God  is  intercepted, 
even  as  the  sun  is  hid  from  the  sight  of  mine  eyes  by  the 
cloud  that  Cometh  between  :  "  My  sin,"  said  David^  "  is 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  173 

ever  "before  me"  (Psalm  li.  3),  and  so  kept  other  things  out 
of  his  sight  :  sin,  I  say,  when  applied  hy  the  law.  AVheu 
the  law  came  to  Paul,  he  remained  without  sight  (Acts,  ix.) 
until  the  good  man  came  unto  him  with  the  word  of  for- 
giveness of  sins. 

4.  Again  ;  where  the  law  comes  with  power,  there  it  he- 
getteth  many  doubts  against  the  grace  of  God  ;  for  it  is 
only  a  revealer  of  sin,  and  the  ministration  of  death  ;  that 
is,  a  doctrine  that  sheweth  sin,  and  condemneth  for  the 
same  ;  hence,  therefore,  as  was  hinted  before,  the  law  being 
the  revealer  of  sin,  where  that  is  embraced,  there  sin  must 
needs  be  discovered  and  condemned,  and  the  soul  for  the 
sake  of  that  ;  further,  it  is  not  onl}^  a  revealer  of  sin,  but 
that  which  makes  it  abound  ;  so  that  the  closer  any  man 
sticks  to  the  law  for  life,  the  faster  sin  doth  cleave  to  him. 
"  That  law,"  saith  Paul,  "  which  was  ordained  to  be  unto 
life,  I  found  to  be  unto  death"  (Rom.  vii.  10-14)  ;  for  by 
the  law  I  became  a  notorious  sinner  ;  I  thought  to  have 
obtained  life  by  obeying  the  law,  "  but  sin  taking  occasion 
by  the  commandment,  d(iceived  me,  and  thereby  slew  me." 
A  strange  way  of  deceivableness,  and  it  is  hid  from  the 
most  of  men  ;  but,  as  I  have  already  told  you,  you  see  how 
it  comes  to  pass. 

1.  Man  by  nature  is  carnal,  and  the  law  itself  is  spiritual : 
now  betwixt  these  two  ariseth  great  difference  ;  the  law  is 
exceeding  good,  the  heart  exceeding  bad  ;  these  two  oppo- 
sites  therefore  (the  heart  so  abiding)  can  by  no  means  agree. 

2.  Therefore,  at  every  approach  of  the  law  to  the  heart 
with  intent  to  impose  duty,  or  to  condemn  for  the  neglect 
thereof ;  at  every  such  approach  the  heart  starteth  back, 
especially  when  the  law  comes  home  indeed,  and  is  heard 
in  his  own  language.  This  being  thus,  the  conscience  per- 
ceiving this  is  a  fault,  begins  to  tremble  at  the  sense  of 
judgment ;  the  law  still  continueth  to  command  to  duty, 
and  to  condemn  for  the  neglect  thereof.  From  this  strug- 
gling of  these  two  opposites  ariseth,  I  say,  those  doubts  and 
fears  that  drive  the  heart  into  unbelief,  and  that  make  it 
blind  to  the  word  of  the  gospel,  that  it  can  neither  see  nor 


174  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

understand  anj-thing  but  that  it  is  a  sinner,  and  that  the 
law  must  be  fulfilled  by  it  if  ever  it  be  saved. 

But  again  ;  another  thing  that  hath  gi-eat  influence  upon 
the  heart  to  make  it  lean  to  the  law  for  life  is,  the  false 
names  that  Satan  and  his  instruments  have  put  upon  it ; 
such  as  these — to  call  the  law  the  gospel  ;  conscience,  the 
spirit  of  Christ ;  works,  faith  ;  and  the  like  :  with  these, 
weak  consciences  have  been  mightily  pestered  ;  yea,  thou- 
sands deluded  and  destroyed.  This  was  the  way  whereby 
the  enemy  attempted  to  overthrow  the  church  of  Christ  of 
old  ;  as,  namely,  those  in  Galatia  and  at  Corinth,  &c.,  2 
Cor.  xi.  3,  4,  13,  14.  I  say,  by  the  feigned  notion  that  the 
law  was  the  gospel,  the  Galatians  were  removed  from  the 
gospel  of  Christ ;  and  Satan,  by  appropriating  to  himself 
and  his  ministers  the  names  and  titles  of  the  ministers  of 
the  Lord  Jesus,  prevailed  with  many  at  Corinth  to  forsake 
Paul  and  his  doctrine.  Where  the  Lord  Jesus  hath  been 
preached  in  truth,  and  something  of  his  doctrine  known,  it 
is  not  there  so  easy  to  turn  people  aside  from  the  sound  of 
the  promise  of  grace,  unless  it  be  by  the  noise  and  sound  of 
a  gospel.  Therefore,  I  say,  the  false  apostles  came  thus 
among  the  churches  :  "  another  gospel,  another  gospel  ;" 
which,  in  truth,  saith  Paul,  "  is  not  another  ;  but  some 
would  pervert  the  gospel  of  Christ"  (Gal.  i.  6-8),  and  thrust 
that  out  of  doors,  by  gilding  the  law  with  that  glorious 
name.  So  again,  for  the  ministers  of  Satan,  they  must  be 
called  the  apostles  of  Christ  and  ministers  of  righteousness  ! 
Avhich  thing,  I  say,  is  of  great  force,  especially  being  ac- 
companied with  so  holy  and  just  a  doctrine  as  the  word  of 
the  law  is  ;  for  what  better  to  the  eye  of  reason  than  to  love 
God  above  all,  and  our  neighbour  as  ourselves,  Ayhich  doc- 
trine, being  the  scope  of  the  ten  words  given  on  Sinai,  no 
man  can  contradict ;  for,  in  truth,  they  are  holy  and  good. 
But  here  is  the  poison  ;  to  set  this  law  in  the  room  of  a 
mediator,  as  those  do  that  seek  to  stand  just  before  God 
thereby  ;  and  then  nothing  is  so  dishonourable  to  Christ, 
nor  of  so  soul-destroying  a  nature  as  the  law  ;  for  that  thus 
placed  hath  not  only  power  when  souls  are  deluded,  but 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  175 

power  to  delude,  by  its  real  holiness,  the  understanding, 
conscience,  and  reason  of  a  man  ;  and  by  giving  the  soul 
a  semblance  of  heaven,  to  cause  it  to  throw  away  Christ, 
grace,  and  faith.  Wherefore  it  l)ehoveth  all  men  to  take 
heed  of  names,  and  of  appearances  of  holiness  and  goodness. 

Lastly,  Satan  will  yet  go  further  ;  he  will  make  use  of 
something  that  may  be  at  a  distance  from  a  moral  precept, 
and  therewith  bring  souls  under  the  law.  Thus  he  did 
with  some  of  old  ;  he  did  not  make  the  Galatians  fall  fi-om 
Christ  by  i-irtue  of  one  of  the  ten  words,  but  by  something 
that  was  aloof  off,  by  circumcision,  days  and  months,  that 
were  Levitical  ceremonies  ;  for  he  knows  it  is  no  matter, 
nor  in  what  Testament  he  found  it,  if  he  can  therewith 
hide  Christ  from  the  soul — "  Behold,  I  Paul  say  unto  you, 
that  if  you  be  circumcised,  Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing  ; 
for  I  testify  again  to  every  man  that  is  circumcised,  that 
he  is  a  debtor  to  the  wliole  law,"  Gal.  v.  2,  3.  Why  so, 
seeing  circumcision  is  not  one  of  the  ten  words  ?  Why, 
because  they  did  it  in  conscience  to  God,  to  stand  just  be- 
fore him  thereby.  Now  here  we  may  behold  much  cun- 
ning of  the  devil ;  he  begins  with  some  at  a  distance  from 
that  law  which  curseth,  and  so  by  little  and  little  bringeth 
them  under  it ;  even  as  by  circumcision  the  Galatians  were 
at  length  brought  under  the  law  that  condemneth  all  men 
to  the  \sTath  and  judgment  of  God.  I  have  often  wondered 
when  I  have  read  how  God  crieth  out  against  the  Jews  for 
observing  his  o\\ti  commandment  (Isaiah,  i.)  ;  but  I  perceive 
by  Paul  that  by  these  things  a  man  may  reject  and  con- 
demn the  Lord  Jesus  ;  which  those  do  that  for  life  set  up 
aught,  whether  moral  or  other  institution,  besides  the  faith 
of  Jesus. 

Let  men  therefore  warily  distinguish  betwixt  names  and 
things,  betwixt  statute  and  commandment,  lest  they  by 
doing  the  one  transgress  against  the  other,  2  Cor.  i.  19,  20. 
Study,  therefore,  the  nature  and  end  of  the  law  with  the 
nature  and  end  of  the  gospel ;  and  if  thou  canst  keep  them 
distinct  in  thy  understanding  and  conscience,  neither  names 
nor  things,  neither  statutes  nor  commandments,  can  di-aw 


176  NO  WAT  TO  HEAVEN 

thee  from  the  faith  of  the  gospel.  And  that  thou  mayest 
yet  be  helped  in  this  matter,  I  shall  now  come  to  speak  to 
the  second  conclusion. 

The  second  position. 

That  men  can  be  justified  from  the  curse  before  God 
while  sinners  in  themselves  by  no  other  righteousness  than 
that  long  ago  performed  by,  and  remaining  with,  the  per- 
son of  Christ. 

For  the  better  prosecuting  of  this  position,  I  shall  ob- 
serve two  things — 

1.  That  the  righteousness  by  which  we  stand  just  be- 
fore God  from  the  curse  was  performed  by  the  person  of 
Christ. 

2.  That  this  righteousness  is  inherent  only  in  him. 
As  to  the  first  of  these,  I  shall  be  but  brief. 

Now,  that  the  righteousness  that  justifieth  us  was  per- 
formed long  ago  by  the  person  of  Christ,  besides  what  hath 
already  been  said,  is  further  manifest  thus — 

1.  He  is  said  to  have  purged  our  sins  by  himself — 
"  When  he  had  by  himself  purged  our  sins,  he  sat  down  on 
the  right  hand  of  God,"  Heb.  i.  2,  3.  I  have  shewed  that 
in  Christ,  for  the  accomplishing  of  righteousness,  there  was 
both  doing  and  suffering ;  doing,  to  fulfil  all  the  commands 
of  the  law  ;  suffering,  to  answer  its  penalty  for  sin.  This 
second  is  that  which  in  this  to  the  Hebrews  is  in  special 
intended  by  the  apostle,  where  he  saith,  he  hath  "purged 
our  sins,"  Heb.  ix.  14  ;  that  is,  by  his  precious  blood  ;  for 
it  is  that  alone  can  purge  our  sins,  either  out  of  the  sight 
of  God  or  out  of  the  sight  of  the  soul.  Now  this  was  done 
by  himself,  saith  the  apostle;  that  is,  in  or  by  his  personal 
doings  and  sufferings.  And  hence  it  is  that  when  God  had 
rejected  the  offerings  of  the  law,  he  said,  "  Lo,  I  come.  A 
body  hast  thou  prepared  me,  to  do  thy  will,  0  God,"  Heb. 
X.  5-8.  Now  by  this  will  of  God,  saith  the  Scripture,  we 
are  sanctified.  By  what  will  1  Why,  by  the  offering  up 
of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ ;  for  that  was  God's  will,  that 
thereby  we  might  be  a  habitation  for  him  ;  as  he  saith 
again — "  Jesus  also,  that  he  might  sanctify   the  people 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  177 

with  his  own  blood,  suflFered  ■\^'ithout  the  gate,"  Heb.  xiii. 
12. 

2.  As  it  is  said,  he  hath  purged  our  sins  by  himself,  so 
it  was  by  himself  at  once — ''  For  by  one  offering  hatli  he 
perfected  for  ever  them  that  are  sanctified."  Now  by  this 
w^ord  "  at  once,"  or  by  "  one  offering,"  is  cut  off  all  those 
imaginary  sufferings  of  Christ  which  foolish  men  conceive 
of;  as,  that  he  in  all  ages  hath  suffered,  or  suffereth  for 
sin  in  us.  No ;  he  did  this  work  but  once  :  "  Not  that  he 
should  offer  himself  often,  as  the  high  priest  entered  into 
the  holy  place  every  year  with  the  blood  of  others ;  for  then 
must  he  often  have  suffered  since  the  foundation  of  the 
world  :  but  now  oiice  in  the  end  of  the  world,"  in  the  time 
of  Pilate,  "  hath  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacri- 
fice of  himself,"  Heb,  ix.  25,  26.  Mark  how  to  the  pur- 
pose the  Holy  Ghost  expresseth  it:  he  hath  suffered  but 
once ;  and  that  once,  noio;  now  once ;  noio  he  is  God  and 
man  in  one  person  ;  noio  he  hath  taken  the  body  that  was 
prepared  of  God  ;  now  once  in  the  end  of  the  world  hath  he 
appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself ;  by 
the  offering  iip  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all. 

3.  It  further  appears,  in  that  by  his  resurrection  from 
the  dead,  the  mercies  of  God  are  made  sure  to  the  soul,  God 
declaring  by  that,  as  was  said  before,  how  well  pleased  he 
is  by  the  undertaking  of  his  Son  for  the  salvation  of  the 
world  :  "  And  as  concerning  that  he  raised  him  up  from  the 
dead,  now  no  more  to  return  to  corruption,  he  said  on  this 
wise,  I  will  give  thee  the  sure  mercies  of  David,"  Acts,  xiii. 
34.  For  Christ  being  clothed  with  man's  flesh,  and  un- 
dertaking for  man's  sins,  did  then  confirm  all  sure  to  us  by 
his  resurrection  from  the  dead.  So  that  by  the  rising  of 
that  man  again,  mercy  and  grace  are  made  sure  to  him  that 
hath  believed  on  Jesus.  Wherefore,  from  these  things,  to- 
gether with  what  hath  been  discovered  about  his  address- 
ing himself  to  the  work,  I  conclude  "  That  men  can  be 
justified  from  the  curse  before  God  while  sinners  in  them- 
selves by  no  other  righteousness  than  that  long  ago  per- 
formed by  the  person  of  Christ."     Now  the  conclusion  is 


178  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

true,  from  all  show  of  contradiction  ;  for  the  Holy  Gho^t 
saith,  he  hath  done  it ;  hath  done  it  by  himself,  and  that 
by  the  will  of  God,  at  once,  even  then  when  he  took  the 
prepared  body  upon  him — "  By  the  will  of  God  we  are 
sanctified,  through  the  offering  up  of  the  body  of  Jesus 
Christ  once  for  all." 

This  being  so,  the  second  position  is  also  manifest — 
namely,  that  the  righteousness  by  which  we  stand  just 
from  the  curse  before  God  is  only  inherent  in  Jesus  Christ. 
For  if  he  hath  undertaken  to  bring  in  a  justifying  right- 
eousness, and  that  by  works  and  merits  of  his  ovm,  then 
that  righteousness  must  of  necessity  be  inherent  in  him 
alone,  and  ours  only  by  imputation  ;  and  hence  it  is  call- 
ed, in  that  fifth  to  the  Romans,  the  gift,  the  "  gift  of  right- 
eousness ;"  because  neither  wrought  nor  obtained  by  works 
of  ours,  but  bestowed  upon  us,  as  a  garment  already  pre- 
pared, by  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  Romans,  v.  17  ;  Isa. 
Ixi.  10. 

There  are  four  things  that  confirm  this  for  a  truth — 
First,  This  righteousness  is  said  to  be  the  righteousness 
of  one,  not  of  many  ;  I  mean  of  07ie  properly  and  personally, 
as  his  own  particular  personal  righteousness.  The  gift  of 
grace,  which  is  the  gift  of  righteousness,  it  is  "  by  one  man, 
Jesus  Christ,  Much  more  they  that  receive  abundance  of 
grace,  and  of  the  gift  of  righteousness,  shall  reign  in  life  by 
one  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore  as  by  the  offence  of  one  judg- 
ment came  upon  all  to  condemnation  ;  even  so  by  the  right- 
eousness of  one  the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men  to  justifica- 
tion of  life.  For  as  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were 
made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made 
righteous,"  Rom.  v.  15-19.  Mark,  the  righteousness  of  07ie, 
tlie  obedience  of  one;  the  righteousness  of  07ie  man,  of  one 
man,  Jesus.  Wherefore,  the  righteousness  that  justifieth  a 
sinner,  it  is  personally  and  inherently  the  righteousness  of 
that  person  only  who  by  works  and  acts  of  obedience  did 
complete  it,  even  the  obedience  of  one,  of  one  man,  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  so  ours  only  by  imputation.  It  is  improper 
to  say,  Adam's  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit  was  personally 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  17U 

and  inherently  an  act  of  mine.  It  was  personally  his,  and 
imputatively  mine  ;  personally  his,  because  he  did  it  ;  im- 
putatively  mine,  because  I  was  then  in  him.  Indeed,  the 
effects  of  his  personal  eating  is  found  in  my  person — to  wit, 
defilement  and  pravity  ;  the  effects  also  of  the  imputation 
of  Christ's  personal  righteousness  are  truly  found  in  those 
that  are  in  him  by  electing  love  and  unfeigned  faith,  even 
holy  and  heavenly  dispositions  :  but  a  personal  act  is  one 
thing,  and  the  effects  of  that  another.  The  act  may  be  done 
by,  and  be  only  inherent  in  one  ;  the  imputation  of  the 
merit  of  the  act,  as  also  the  effects  of  the  same,  may  be  in 
a  manner  universal,  extending  itself  unto  the  most,  or  all. 
This  the  case  of  Adam  and  Christ  doth  manifest — the  sin 
of  one  is  imputed  to  his  posterity  ;  the  righteousness  of  the 
other  is  reckoned  the  righteousness  of  those  that  are  his. 

Secondly,  The  righteousness  by  which  we  stand  j  ust  be- 
fore God  from  the  curse  is  called  "  The  righteousness  of  the 
Lord — the  righteousness  of  God — the  righteousness  of  Jesus 
Christ,"  &c.,  Philippians,  iii.  6-8  ;  and  that  by  way  of  op- 
position to  the  righteousness  of  God's  own  holy  law — "  That 
I  might  be  found  in  him,  not  having  on  my  own  righteous- 
ness, which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the 
faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith." 
Now  by  this  opposition,  as  by  what  was  said  before,  the 
truth  is  made  exceeding  clear  ;  for  by  these  words,  "  not 
having  my  own  righteotlsness,"  is  not  only  excluded  what 
qualifications  we  suppose  to  be  in  us,  but  the  righteousness 
through  which  we  stand  just  in  the  sight  of  God  by  them 
is  limited  and  confined  to  a  person  absolutely  distinct.  Dis- 
tinct, I  say,  as  to  his  person  and  performances,  who  here  is 
called  God  and  Jesus  Christ ;  as  he  saith  also  in  the  prophet 
Isaiah,  "  In  the  Lord  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel  be  justi- 
fied, and  shall  glory,"  Isa.  xlv,  25  ;  liv.  17.  In  the  Lord, 
not  in  the  law  ;  in  the  Lord,  not  in  themselves.  "  And 
their  righteousness  is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord  :"  of  me,  not  of 
themselves  ;  of  me,  not  of  the  law.  And  again  ;  "  Surely 
shall  one  say,  in  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength." 
Now,  as  I  have  already  said,  all  this  is  to  be  understood  of 


180  NO  "WAT  TO  HEAVEJf 

the  righteousness  that  was  fulfilled  by  acts  and  works  of 
obedience,  which  the  person  of  the  Son  of  God  accomplished 
in  the  days  of  his  flesh  in  the  world  ;  by  that  man,  I  say, 
"  The  Lord  our  righteousness,"  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  Christ  in- 
deed is  naturally  and  essentially  righteousness  ;  but  as  he 
is  simply  such,  so  he  justifieth  no  man  ;  for  then  he  need 
not  to  bear  our  sins  in  his  flesh,  and  become  obedient  in 
all  points  of  the  law  for  us  ;  but  the  righteousness  by  which 
we  stand  just  before  God  is  a  righteousness  consisting  of 
works  and  deeds,  of  the  doings  and  suff'erings  of  such  a 
person  who  also  is  essentially  righteousness.  And  hence, 
as  before  I  have  hinted,  we  are  said  to  be  justified  by  the 
obedience  and  blood  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  doings 
and  suff^erings  of  the  Son  of  God.  And  hence  again  it  is 
that  he  first  is  called  King  of  righteousness  ;  that  is,  a 
King  of  righteousness  as  God-man,  which  of  necessity  sup- 
poseth  his  personal  performances  ;  and  after  that,  "  King 
of  peace,"  Heb.  vii.  1-3  ;  for  what  he  is  naturally  and  eter- 
nally in  his  Godhead  he  is  not  to  us,  but  himself  ;  but  what 
he  is  actively  and  by  works,  he  is  not  to  himself,  but  to 
us  ;  so,  then,  he  is  neither  King  of  righteousness  nor  of 
peace  to  us,  as  he  is  only  the  Eternal  Son  of  the  Father, 
without  his  being  considered  as  our  priest  and  undertaker 
— "  He  hath  obtained,"  by  works  of  righteousness,  "  eter- 
nal redemption  for  us,"  Heb.  ix.  12.  So,  then,  the  right- 
eousness by  which  we  stand  just  before  God  is  a  righteous- 
ness inherent  (only)  in  Christ,  because  a  righteousness  per- 
formed by  him  alone. 

Now  that  righteousness  by  which  we  stand  just  before 
God  must  be  a  righteousness  consisting  of  personal  per- 
formances ;  the  reason  is,  because  persons  had  sinned,  this 
the  nature  of  justice  requireth,  that  "  since  by  man  came 
death,  by  man  should  come  also  the  resurrection  from  the 
dead,"  1  Cor.  xv.  21.  The  angels,  therefore,  for  this  very 
reason,  abide  under  the  chains  of  e\5erlasting  darkness,  be- 
cause he  "  took  not  hold  on  them,"  Heb.  ii.  16,  17  ;  that 
is,  by  fulfilling  righteousness  for  them  in  their  nature  :  that 
is  a  blessed  vrord,  to  you — "  To  you  is  bom  this  day  in  the 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CnRIST.  *      ]8l 

city  of  David  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord,"  Luke, 
ii.  11  ;  to  you^  not  to  angels  ;  to  you  is  born  a  Saviour. 

Thirdly,  It  is  yet  further  evident  that  the  righteousness 
by  -which  we  stand  just  before  God  from  the  curse  is  a  right- 
eousness inherent,  not  in  us,  but  Christ ;  because  it  is  a 
righteousness  inherent,  not  in  us,  but  Christ ;  because  it  is 
a  righteousness  besides,  and  without  the  law  itself.  Now 
take  away  the  law,  and  you  take  away  the  rule  of  right- 
eousness. Again  ;  take  away  the  rule,  and  the  act  as  to 
us  must  cease  :  "  But  now  the  righteousness  of  God  without 
the  law  is  manifested,  being  witnessed  by  the  laAv  and  the 
prophets,"  Rom.  iii.  21.  So,  then,  by  such  a  righteousness 
we  are  justified  as  is  not  within  the  power  of  the  law  to 
command  of  us. 

Quest.  But  what  law  is  that  which  hath  not  power 
to  command  our  obedience  in  the  point  of  our  justification 
with  God  ? 

Answ.  The  moral  law,  or  that  called  the  ten  com- 
mandments. Therefore  we  are  neither  commanded  to  love 
God,  or  our  neighbour,  as  the  means  or  part  of  our  justify- 
ing righteousness  ;  nay,  he  that  shall  attempt  to  do  these 
things  to  be  delivered  from  the  curse  thereby,  by  the  scrip- 
ture is  holden  accursed  of  God  :  "  As  many  as  are  of  the 
works,"  or  duties,  "  of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse,"  &c., 
Gal.  iii.  10.  Because  we  are  justified  not  by  that  of  the 
law,  but  by  the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  low  ;  that 
is,  Avithout  its  commanding  of  us,  without  our  obedience  to 
it :  "  Freely  by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is 
in  Jesus  Christ ;  whom  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitia- 
tion, through  faith  in  his  blood,"  Rom.  iii.  24,  25.  This  is 
the  righteousness  of  God  without  the  law  ;  that  is,  without 
any  of  our  obedience  to  the  law.  Wherefore  the  righteous- 
ness by  which  we  stand  just  in  the  sight  of  God  cannot  be 
inherent  in  us,  but  in  Christ  the  King  thereof. 

Fourthly,  This  is  further  made  apparent  by  the  capacity 
that  God  will  consider  that  soul  in  to  whom  he  imputeth 
justifying  righteousness  ;  and  that  is,  "  as  one  that  worketh 
not,"  as  one  that  stands  "  ungodly  in  the  judgment  of  the 


182  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

law,"  Rom.  iv.  4,  5.  But  this  I  have  handled  before,  and 
therefore  shall  pass  it  here. 

Fifthly/,  to  conclude  :  If  any  works  of  ours  could  justify 
us  before  God,  they  would  be  works  after  faith  received ; 
but  it  is  evident  that  these  do  not ;  therefore  the  righteous- 
ness that  justifies  us  from  the  curse  before  God  is  a  right- 
eousness inherent  only  in  Christ. 

That  works  after  faith  do  not  justify  us  from  the  curse 
in  the  sight  of  God  is  evident — 

1.  Because  no  works  of  the  saints  can  be  justified  by  the 
moral  law,  considering  it  as  the  law  of  works  for  life,  Gal. 
iii.  10.  For  this  must  stand  a  truth  for  ever — Whatsoever 
justifieth  us  must  be  justified  by  the  moral  law,  for  that  is 
it  that  pronounceth  the  curse  ;  unless,  then,  that  curse  be 
taken  away  by  the  work,  the  work  cannot  justify  us  be- 
fore God,  Rom.  iii.  21.  But  the  curse  cannot  be  taken 
away  but  by  a  righteousness  that  is  first  approved  of  by 
tliat  law  that  so  curseth  ;  for  if  that  shall  yet  complain  for 
want  of  a  full  satisfaction,  the  penalty  remaineth.  This  is 
evident  to  reason,  and  confirmed  by  the  authority  of  God's 
word,  as  hath  been  already  proved  ;  because  the  law,  once 
broken,  pronounceth  death,  expecteth  death,  and  executeth 
the  same  on  him  that  will  stand  to  the  judgment  of  the 
law  ;  but  no  work  of  a  believer  is  capable  of  answering 
this  demand  of  the  law ;  therefore  none  of  his  works  can 
justify  him  before  God  ;  for  the  law,  that  notwithstanding 
complaineth, 

2.  No  works  of  faith  can  justify  us  from  the  curse  before 
God,  because  of  the  want  of  perfection  that  is  in  the  greatest 
fiiith  in  us.  Now  if  faith  be  not  perfect,  the  work  cannot 
be  perfect ;  I  mean,  with  that  perfection  as  to  please  Divine 
justice.  Consider  the  person,  one  that  hath  to  do  with  God 
immediately  by  himself.  Now,  that  faith  is  not  capable 
of  this  kind  of  perfection  it  is  evident,  because  when  men 
here  know  most,  they  know  but  in  part,  1  Cor.  viii.  2  ; 
xiii.  12.  Now  he  that  knows  but  in  part,  can  do  but  in 
part ;  and  he  that  doth  but  in  part,  hath  a  part  wanting 
in  the  judgment  of  the  justice  of  God,    So,  then,  when  thou 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  ]  S3 

hast  done  all  thou  canst,  thou  hast  done  but  part  of  thy 
duty,  and  so  art  short  of  justification  from  the  curse  by 
what  thou  hast  done. 

3<  Besides,  it  looks  too  like  a  monster  that  the  works  of 
faith  should  justify  us  before  God  ;  because  then  faith  is 
turned,  as  it  were,  with  its  neck  behind  it.  Faith,  in  its 
o\A'n  nature  and  natural  course,  respecteth  the  mercy  of 
God  through  the  Mediator  Jesus  Christ,  and,  as  such,  its 
virtue  and  excellency  is  to  expect  justification  by  grace 
through  him  ;  but  by  this  doctrine  faith  is  turned  round 
about,  and  now  makes  a  life  out  of  what  itself  hath  done  : 
but  methinks  faith  should  be  as  noble  as  its  fruits,  that 
being  the  first,  and  they  but  the  fruits  of  that. 

Besides,  seeing  the  work  is  only  good  because  it  floweth 
from  faith,  for  faith  purifieth  the  heart  (Acts,  xv.  9),  there- 
fore faith  is  it  that  justifies  all  its  works.  If,  then,  we  be 
justified  by  either,  it  is  by  faith,  and  not  by  his  works ; 
unless  we  will  say  there  is  more  virtue  in  the  less  than  in 
the  greater.  Now  what  is  faith  but  a  believing,  a  trusting, 
or  relying  act  of  the  soul  ?  What,  then,  must  it  rely  upon 
or  trust  in  ?  Not  in  itself,  that  is  without  scripture  ;  not 
in  its  works,  they  are  inferior  to  itself ;  besides,  this  is  the 
way  to  make  even  the  works  of  faith  the  mediator  between 
God  and  the  soul,  and  so  by  them  thrust  Christ  out  of 
doors  ;  therefore  it  must  trust  in  Christ ;  and  if  so,  then  no 
man  can  be  justified  from  the  curse  before  God  by  the 
works  that  flow  from  faith. 

4.  To  put  ail  out  of  doubt ;  the  saint,  when  he  hath  done 
what  he  can  to  bring  forth  good  works  by  faith,  yet  he  dares 
not  shew  these  works  before  God  but  as  they  pass  through 
tlie  Mediator  Christ,  but  as  they  are  washed  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb.  And  therefore  Peter  saith,  those  sacrifices  of 
ours  that  are  truly  spiritual  are  only  then  accepted  of  God 
(1  Pet.  ii.  5)  when  offered  up  by  Jesus  Christ.  And  there- 
fore it  is  said  again,  that  the  praj^ers  of  the  saints,  whicli 
are  the  fi-uits  of  faith,  come  up  before^the  throne  of  God 
through  the  angel's  hand  (Rev.  viii.  3,  4),  that  is,  through 


184  NO  TTAY  TO  HEAVEN 

the  hand  of  Christ,  through  his  goklen  censer,  perfumed 
with  his  incense,  made  acceptable  by  his  intercession. 

It  is  said  in  the  book  of  the  Revelation  that  it  is  granted 
to  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife,  that  she  should  be  "  arraj^ed 
in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white  ;  which  white  linen  is  the 
righteousness  of  saints."  This  fine  linen,  in  my  judgment, 
is  the  works  of  godly  men,  their  works  that  sprang  fi-om 
faith.  But  how  came  they  clean  ?  How  came  they  white  1 
'Not  simply  because  they  were  the  works  of  faith.  But 
mark,  "  They  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb  ;  and  therefore  they  stand  before  the 
throne  of  God,"  Rev.  vii.  14,  15.  Yea,  therefore  it  is  that 
their  j^ood  works  stand  there  too. 

I  conclude,  then,  "  our  persons  are  justified  while  we 
are  sinners  in  ourselves."  Our  works,  even  the  works  of 
faith,  are  no  otherAvise  accepted  but  as  they  come  through 
Jesus  Christ,  even  through  his  intercession  and  blood.  So, 
then,  Christ  doth  justify  both  our  person  and  works,  not 
by  way  of  approbation,  as  we  stand  in  ourselves  or  works 
before  God,  but  by  presenting  of  us  to  his  Father  by  him- 
self, washing  what  we  are  and  have  fi-om  guilt  in  his  blood, 
and  clothing  us  with  his  own  performances.  This  is  the 
cause  of  our  acceptance  with  God,  and  that  our  works  are 
not  cast  forth  of  his  presence. 


1.  Is  justifying  righteousness  to  be  found  in  the  person 
of  Christ  only  1  Then  this  should  admonish  us  to  take 
heed  of  seeking  it  in  ourselves — that  is,  of  working  right- 
eousness, thereby  to  appease  the  justice  of  God,  lest  by  so 
doing  we  affront  and  blaspheme  the  righteousness  of 
Christ.  He  that  shall  go  about  to  establish  his  own  right- 
eousness, he,  as  yet,  doth  defiance  to  that  which  is  of  God, 
of  God's  appointing,  of  God's  providing  ;  and  that  only 
wherewith  the  justice  of  the  law  must  be  well  pleased. 
Wherefore  take  heed,  I  say,  of  doing  such  a  thing,  lest  it 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  185 

provoke  the  eyes  of  the  Lord's  glory — "  When  I  shall  say 
to  the  righteous,  that  he  shall  surely  live  ;  if  he  trust  to 
his  own  righteousness,  and  commit  iniquity,  all  his  right- 
eousness shall  not  be  remembered  ;  but  for  his  iniquity 
that  he  hath  committed,  he  shall  die  for  it,"  Ezek.  xxxiii. 
13.  Mark,  though  he  be  righteous,  yea,  though  he  have  a 
promise  of  life,  yet  he  shall  die.  But  why  ?  Because  he 
sinned  against  the  Lord  by  trusting  to  his  own  righteous- 
ness, therefore  he  must  die  for  it. 

There  are  some  things  that  will  preserve  a  man  from 
splitting  upon  this  rock.     As, 

1.  Get  good  acquaintance  with  the  covenant  of  grace, 
and  of  the  persons  concerned  in  the  conditions  of  that  cove- 
nant. The  conditions  of  that  covenant  are,  that  a  right- 
eousness shall  be  brought  into  the  world  that  shall  please 
the  justice  of  God  and  answer  (and  so  remove  the  curse  of) 
the  law.  Now  he  that  doth  perform  this  condition  is 
Christ ;  therefore  the  covenant  is  not  immediately  with 
man,  but  with  him  that  will  be  the  Mediator  betwixt  God 
and  man  :  "  As  for  thee,  by  the  blood  of  thy  covenant," 
Zech.  ix.  11,  speaking  of  Christ.  So,  then,  Christ,  the 
Man-Christ,  is  he  who  was  to  bring  in  these  conditions — 
to  \ltit,  everlasting  righteousness.  And  hence  it  is  that 
God  hath  said,  "  Christ  shall  be  the  covenant  of  the  peo- 
ple,"— that  is,  he  shall  be  our  conditions  to  Godward,  Dan. 
ix.  23,  24.  He  therefore  is  all  our  righteousness  as  to  the 
point  of  our  justification  before  God  ;  he  is  the  covenant  of 
the  people,  as  well  as  the  light  of  the  Gentiles  ;  for  as  no 
man  can  see  but  in  the  light  of  his  Spirit,  so  no  man  can 
stand  but  in  and  by  him — he  is  the  covenant  of  the  people, 
the  conditions  and  qualifications  of  the  people,  Isa.  Hi.  6. 
So  that  to  Godward  Christ  is  all  in  all,  and  no  man  any- 
thing at  all.  "  He  hath  made  with  me  an  everlasting  cove- 
nant ;"  with  me,  as  I  stand  in  my  head  Christ,  who,  be- 
cause he  hath  brought  in  everlasting  righteousness,  theie- 
fore  hath  removed  the  curse  of  the  law  ;  wherefore  he  adds, 
this  covenant  "  is  ordered  in  all  things,  and  sure,"  2  Sam. 
xxiii.  5  ;  because  all  points  that  concern  me  as  to  redeoip- 

L 


186  NO  WAY  TO  HE  A  VEX 

tion  from  the  cm-se  are  taken  away  by  Christ,  as  before  is 
discoursed.  Look,  then,  upon  Christ  as  tlie  man,  the  me- 
diator, undertaker,  and  accomplisher  of  that  righteousness 
in  himself,  wherein  thou  must  stand  just  before  God  ;  and 
that  he  is  the  covenant  or  conditions  of  the  people  to  God- 
ward,  always  having  in  himself  the  righteousness  that  the 
law  is  well  pleased  with,  and  always  presenting  himself  be- 
fore God  as  our  only  righteousness. 

2.  That  this  truth  may  be  the  more  heartily  inquired 
into  by  thee,  consider  thine  own  perfections  ;  I  say,  study 
how  polluted  thou  art,  even  from  the  heart  throughout. 
No  man  hath  a  high  esteem  of  the  Lord  Jesus  that  is  a 
stranger  to  his  O'svn  sore.  Christ's  church  is  an  hospital  of 
sick,  wounded,  and  afflicted  people  ;  even  as  when  he  was 
in  the  world,  the  afflicted  and  distressed  set  the  highest 
price  upon  Jesus  Christ.  Why  ?  They  were  sick,  and  he 
was  the  Physician  ;  but  the  whole  had  no  need  of  him. 
And  just  thus  it  is  now  :  Christ  is  offered  to  the  world  to 
be  the  righteousness  and  life  of  sinners,  but  no  man  will 
regard  him  save  he  that  seeth  his  OAvn  pollution  ;  he  that 
seeth  he  cannot  answer  the  demands  of  the  law,  he  that 
sees  himself  from  top  to  toe  polluted,  and  that  therefore  his 
service  cannot  be  clean  as  to  justify  him  from  the  tjurse 
before  God,  he  is  the  man  that  must  needs  die  in  despair 
and  be  damned,  or  must  trust  in  Jesus  Christ  for  life. 

Further,  This  rule  I  would  have  all  receive  that  come  to 
Jesus  Christ  for  life  and  salvation. 

1.  Not  to  stick  at  the  acknowledgment  of  sin,  but  to 
make  that  of  it  which  the  law  makes  of  it :  "  Acknowledge 
thine  iniquity,"  saith  the  Lord,  Jer.  iii.  13.  This  is  a  hard 
pinch  (I  know  what  I  say)  for  a  man  to  fall  do\^^l  under 
the  sense  of  sins  by  acknowledging  them  to  be  what  the 
Lord  saith  they  are  ;  to  acknowledge  them,  I  say,  in 
their  owm  defiling  and  polluting  nature  ;  to  acknowledge 
them  in  their  unreasonable  and  aggravating  circumstances ; 
to  acknowledge  them  in  their  God-ofFending  and  soul-de- 
stroying nature,  especially  when  the  conscience  is  burdened 
with  the  guilt  of  them.     Yet  this  is  duty — "  If  we  confess 


BUT  BT  JESUS  CRRIST,  187 

our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive,"  1  John,  i.  9  ; 
yea,  to  this  is  annexed  the  promise,  "  He  that  confesseth, 
and  forsaketh  them,  shall  find  mercy."  This  made  David, 
as  it  were,  lay  claim  to  the  mercy  of  God — "  Wash  me 
thoroughly  (said  he)  from  mine  iniquity,  and  cleanse  me 
from  my  sin  ;  for  I  acknowledge  my  transgression,  and  my 
sin  is  ever  before  me,"  Though,  then,  thou  art  to  blui^h 
and  be  ashamed  when  thou  rememberest  thy  sins  and  ini- 
quities, yet  do  not  hide  them — "  He  that  hideth  his  sins 
shall  not  prosper."  Do  not  lessen  them  ;  do  not  speak  of 
them  before  God  after  a  mincing  way — "  Acknowledge 
thine  iniquities,  that  thou  hast  sinned  against  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  hast  scattered  thy  ways  to  the  strangers  under 
every  green  tree  ;  and  ye  have  not  obeyed  my  voice,  saith 
the  Lord,"  Jer.  iii.  13. 

2.  If  we  would  come  to  Christ  aright,  we  must  o?iZy  acknow- 
ledge our  sins  ;  we  must  only  acknowledge  them,  and  there 
stop  ;  stop,  I  say,  from  attempting  to  do  aught  to  present 
us  good  before  God,  but  only  to  receive  the  mercy  offered. 
"  Only  acknowledge  thine  iniquities."  Men  are  subject  to 
two  extremes,  either  to  confess  sins  notionally  and  by  the 
halves,  or  else,  together  with  the  confession  of  them,  to  la- 
bour to  do  some  holy  work,  thereby  to  ease  their  burdened 
conscience,  and  beget  faith  in  the  mercy  of  God,  Hos.  v. 
14,  15.  Now  both  these  are  dangerous,  and  very  ungodly, 
— dangerous,  because  the  wound  is  healed  falsely  ;  and  un- 
godly, because  the  command  is  transgressed  :  "  Only  ac- 
knowledge thy  sin,"  and  there  stand  (as  David)  "  till  thy 
guilt  is  taken  away."  Joshua  stood  before  the  angel,  from 
top  to  toe  in  filthy  garments,  till  the  Lord  put  other  clothes 
upon  him,  Zech.  iii.  3.  In  the  matter  of  thy  justification 
thou  must  know  nothing,  see  nothing,  hear  nothing,  but 
thine  own  sins  and  Christ's  righteousness —  "  Only  acknow- 
ledge thine  iniquities."  Now  the  Saviour  and  the  soul 
comes  rightly  together  ;  the  Saviour  to  do  his  work,  which 
is  to  spread  his  skirt  over  the  sinner  ;  and  the  sinner  to  re- 
ceive, by  believing  this  blessed  imputed  righteousness.  And 
hence  the  chm*ch,  when  she  came  to  God,  lieth  down  in 


188  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

her  shame,  and  her  confusion  covereth  her  ;  and  so  lieth 
till  pardon  comes,  Jer.  iii.  25. 

THE  SECOND  USE. 

I  come  now  to  th«  second  use — Have  faith  in  Christ.  But 
•what  are  we  to  understand  by  faith  ? 

Ans.  Faith  importeth  as  much  as  to  say,  receive,  em- 
brace, accept  of,  or  trust  in,  the  benefit  offered.  All  which 
are,  by  holy  men  of  God,  words  used  on  purpose  to  shew 
that  the  mercy  of  God,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  eternal 
life,  are  not  to  be  had  by  doing  or  by  the  law  ;  but  by  re- 
ceiving, embracing,  accepting,  or  trusting  to  the  mercy  of 
God  through  Christ — "  We  believe  that  through  the  grace 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  shall  be  saved,  even  as  they," 
John,  i.  12  ;  2  Cor.  iv.  1  ;  xi.  4  ;  Col.  ii.  6  ;  Heb.  xi.  13  ;  1 
Tim.  i.  15  ;  Ephes.  i.  12,  13  ;  Acts,  xv.  11.  Thus  you  see 
what  the  gospel  is,  and  what  faith  doth  do  in  the  salvation 
of  the  soul. 

Now,  that  faith  might  be  helped  in  this  work  (for  great 
are  they  that  oppose  it),  therefore  the  Scriptures,  the  word 
of  truth,  hath  presented  us  with  the  invitation  in  most  plain 
and  suitable  sentences  ;  as,  "  That  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners — Christ  died  for  our  sins — Christ  gave 
himself  for  our  sins — Christ  bare  our  sins  in  his  body  on  the 
tree  ;  and,  That  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you." 
Further,  as  the  invitations  are  plain  and  easy,  so  the  threat- 
enings  to  the  opposers  are  sore  and  astonishing — "  He  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  danmed — Because  they  received  not 
the  love  of  the  truth,  that  they  might  be  saved,  God  gave 
them  up  to  strong  delusions,  that  they  all  might  be  danmed," 
Mark,  xvi.  16  ;  2  Thess.  ii.  10-12. 

Object.  But  faith  is  said  to  be  an  act  of  obedience, 

Ans.  I.  And  well  it  may  ;  for  it  is  the  most  submit- 
ting act  that  a  man  can  do  ;  it  throweth  out  all  our  riglit- 
eousness  ;  it  makes  the  soul  poor  in  itself ;  it  liveth  upon 
God  and  Christ,  as  the  almsman  doth  upon  his  lord  ;  it  con- 
senteth  to  tlie  gospel  that  it  is  true  ;  it  giveth  God  and 


BUT  BY   JESUS  CHUIST.  189 

Christ  the  glory  of  their  mercy  and  merit ;  it  loveth  God 
for  his  mercy,  and  Jesus  Glirist  for  his  service  ;  whatever 
good  it  doth,  it  still  crieth,  Hereby  ain  I  not  justitied,  but 
he  that  justifieth  me  is  the  I^ord. 

Well,  but  is  there  in  truth  such  a  thing  as  the  obedience 
of  liilth  ?  Then  let  Christians  labour  to  understand  it,  and 
Jastinguish  it  aright,  and  to  separate  it  from  the  law  and 
all  man's  righteousness  ;  and  remember  that  it  is  a  receiving 
of  mercy,  an  embracing  of  forgiveness,  an  accepting  of  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  and  a  trusting  to  these  for  life.  Re- 
member again,  that  it  putteth  the  soul  upon  coming  to  Christ 
as  a  siimer,  and  to  receive  forgiveness  as  a  sinner,  as  such. 
We  now  treat  of  justification. 

But  a  little  to  insert  at  large  a  few  more  of  the  excellences 
of  it,  and  so  draw  towards  a  conclusion. 

First,  The  more  thou  belie  vest  for  remission  of  sins,  the 
more  of  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ  thou  re- 
ceivest  into  thy  soul — "  For  therein  is  the  righteousness  of 
God  revealed,  from  faith  to  faith,"  Rom,  i.  16,  17  ;  that  is, 
according  to  the  decree  of  faith.  Little  faith  seeth  but  little, 
but  great  faith  seeth  much  ;  and  therefore  he  saith  again, 
That  by  faith  we  have  "  access  into  the  grace  of  God,"  chap. 
V.  2.     The  reason  is, 

1.  Because  faith,  having  laid  hold  upon  Christ,  hath 
found  him  "  in  whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom 
and  knowledge,"  Col.  ii.  2,  3.  In  him  therefore  it  finds  and 
sees  those  heights  and  depths  of  gospel  mysteries  that  are 
nowhere  else  to  be  found  ;  nay,  let  a  man  be  destitute  of 
faith,  and  it  is  not  possible  he  should  once  think  of  some  of 
them. 

2.  By  this  means  the  Holy  Spirit  is  plentifully  received. 
Gal.  iii.  1-3.  Now  the  Spirit  of  God  is  a  spirit  of  wisdom 
and  revelation  ;  but  yet  so  as  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ, 
Eph.  i.  17  ;  otherwise  the  Spirit  will  shew  to  man  not  any 
mighty  thing,  its  great  delight  being  to  open  Christ  and  to 
reveal  him  unto  faith.  Faith  indeed  can  see  him,  for  that 
is  tile  eye  of  the  soul  ;  and  the  Spirit  alone  can  reveal  him, 
that  being  the  searcher  of  the  deep  things  of  God  ;  by  these 


190  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

therefore  tlie  mysteries  of  heaven  are  revealed  and  received. 
And  hence  it  is  that  the  mystery  of  the  gospel  is  called  the 
"  mystery  of  faith,"  or  the  mystery  with  Avhich  faith  only 
hath  to  do,  1  Tim.  iii.  9.  Wouldst  thou,  then,  know  the 
greatest  things  of  God  1  Accustom  thyself  to  the  obedience 
of  faith  ;  live  upon  thy  justifying  righteousness. 

_A.nd  never  think  that  to  live  always  on  Christ  for  justi- 
:^ition  is  a  low  and  beggarly  thing,  and  as  it  were  a  stay- 
ing at  the  foundation  ;  for  let  me  tell  you,  depart  from  a 
sense  of  the  meritorious  means  of  your  justification  with 
God,  and  you  will  quickly  grow  light,  and  frothy,  and  vain. 
Besides,  you  will  always  be  subject  to  errors  and  delusions  ; 
for  this  is  not  to  hold  the  liead  from  or  through  which 
nourishment  is  administered,  Col.  ii.  19.  Further,  no  man 
that  buildeth  forsakes  the  good  foundation  ;  that  is  the 
ground  of  his  encouragement  to  work,  for  upon  that  is  laid 
the  stress  of  all  ;  and  without  it  nothing  that  is  framed  can 
be  supported,  but  must  inevitably  fall  to  the  ground.  Again  ; 
why  not  live  upon  Christ  alway  1  and  especially  as  he 
standeth  the  mediator  between  God  and  the  soul,  defending- 
thoe  with  the  merit  of  his  blood,  and  covering  thee  with  his 
infinite  righteousness  from  the  wrath  of  God  and  curse  of 
the  law.  Can  there  be  any  greater  comfort  ministered  to 
thee  than  to  know  thy  person  stands  just  before  God  ]  Just 
and  justified  from  all  things  that  would  otherwise  swallow 
thee  up  ?  Is  peace  with  God  and  assurance  of  heaven  of  so 
little  respect  with  thee  that  thou  slightest  the  very  founcla- 
tion  thereof,  even  faith  in  the  blood  and  righteousness  of 
Christ  ?  and  are  notions  and  whimsies  of  such  credit  witli 
thee  that  thou  must  leave  the  foundation  to  follow  them  i 
But  again  ;  what  mystery  is  desirable  to  be  known  that  is 
not  to  be  found  in  Jesus  Chnst,  as  Priest,  Propliet,  or  King 
of  saints  ?  In  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  them,  and 
he  alone  hath  the  key  of  David  to  open  them.  Col.  ii.  1,2; 
Rev.  iii.  7.  Paul  was  so  taken  with  Jesus  Christ,  and  the 
knowledge  of  this,  that  he  was  crucified  for  us,  that  he  de- 
sired, nay,  determined  not  to  know  any  thing  else  among 
the  Corinthians,  that  itched  after  other  wisdom,  1  Cor.  ii.  2, 


BDT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  191 

Object.  But  I  see  not  that  in  Christ  now  that  I  have 
seen  in  him  in  former  days.  Besides,  I  find  the  Spirit  lead 
me  forth  to  study  other  things. 

Arts.  To  the  first  part  of  this  objection  I  would  answer 
several  things — 

1.  The  cause  why  thou  seest  not  that  in  Christ  now  which 
thou  hast  seen  in  him  in  former  days  is  not  in  Christ,  but 
in  thy  faith  ;  he  is  the  same,  as  fresh,  and  as  good,  and  as 
full  of  blessedness,  as  when  thou  didst  most  rejoice  in  him, 
Heb.  i.  11,  12. 

2.  And  why  not  now,  as  well  as  formerly  %  God  is  never 
weary  of  being  delighted  with  Jesus  Christ ;  his  blood  is 
always  precious  with  God ;  his  merits  being  those  in  which 
justice  hath  everlasting  rest,  why  shouldst  thou  wander  or 
go  about  to  change  thy  way  ?  Prov.  viii.  30  ;  Jer.  ii.  36. 

3.  Sin  is  the  same  as  ever,  and  so  is  the  curse  of  the  law. 
The  devil  is  as  busy  as  ever  ;  and  beware  of  the  law  in  thy 
members.  Return,  therefore,  to  thy  rest,  0  soul !  for  he  is 
thy  life,  and  the  length  of  thy  days. 

4.  Guilt  is  to  be  taken  off  now,  as  it  was  years  ago  ;  and, 
whether  thou  seest  it  or  no,  thou  sinnest  in  all  thy  works. 
How,  then,  canst  thou  stand  clear  from  guilt  in  thy  soul 
who  neglectest  to  act  faith  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  ?  There 
thou  must  wash  thy  robes,  and  there  thou  must  make  them 
white.  Rev.  vii.  14,  15. 

5.  I  conclude,  then,  thou  art  a  polluted,  surfeited,  cor- 
rupted, hardened  creature,  whosoever  thou  art,  that  thus 
objectest. 

But  I  find,  sayest  thou,  as  if  the  Spirit  led  me  forth  to 
study  other  matters. 

Ans.  What  other  matters  ?  What  matters  besides, 
above,  or  beyond  the  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
of  our  acceptance  with  God  through  him  ]  What  spirit, 
or  doctrine,  or  wisdom  soever  it  be  that  centres  not  in,  that 
cometh  not  from,  and  that  terminates  not  within,the  bounds 
of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  not  worthy  the  study  of 
the  sons  of  God  ;  neither  is  it  food  for  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ  (John,  vi,  51)  ;  for  that  is  the  flesh  of  Christ  (and 


192  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

that  is  eternal  life.)  Whither  will  you  go  1  Beware  of 
the  spirit  of  Antichrist ;  for  "  many  false  spirits  are  gone 
out  into  the  world."  I  told  you  before,  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  "  the  spirit  of  widom  and  revelation  in  the  know- 
ledge of  Christ,"  Ephes.  i.  17  ;  John,  xiv.  xv.  xvi.  ;  and  that 
without  and  besides  the  Lord  Jesus  it  discovereth  nothing  ; 
it  is  sent  to  testify  of  him  ;  it  is  sent  to  bring  his  words  to 
our  remembrance  ;  it  is  sent  to  "  take  of  his  things  and 
shew  them  unto  us."  Wherefore,  never  call  that  the  Spirit 
of  Jesus  which  leads  you  away  from  the  blood  and  right- 
eousness of  Christ  ;  that  is  but  the  spirit  of  delusion  and  of 
the  devil,  whose  teachings  end  in  perdition  and  destruction. 
Tempt  not  Christ  as  they  of  old  did.  But  how  did  they 
tempt  him  ?  Why,  in  loathing  the  manna,  which  was  the 
type  of  his  flesh  and  blood,  which  we  are  to  eat  of  by  be- 
lieving. I  say,  tempt  him  not,  lest  you  be  destroyed  by  the 
serpents,  by  the  gna\\'ing  guilt  of  sin  ;  for,  take  away 
Christ,  and  sin  remains,  and  there  is  no  more  sacrifice  for 
sin  :  if  so,  thou  wilt  be  destroyed  by  the  destroyer,  Num. 
xxi.  5-7  ;  1  Cor.  x.  10,     But  again —   ■ 

Living  by  faith  begets  in  the  heart  a  sonlike  boldness 
and  confidence  to  God  ward  in  all  our  gospel  duties,  under 
all  our  weaknesses,  and  under  all  our  temptations.  It  is  a 
blessed  thing  to  be  privileged  with  a  holy  boldness  and 
confidence  Godward,  that  he  is  on  our  side,  that  he  taketh 
part  with  us,  and  that  he  will  plead  our  cause  "  with  them 
that  rise  up  against  us,"  2  Cor.  ii.  14  ;  iv.  17,  18  ;  Gal.  ii. 
27  ;  Phil.  iii.  2,  3  ;  Rom.  v.  11.  But  this  boldness  faith 
helpeth  us  to  do,  and  also  manageth  in  our  heart.  This  is 
that  which  made  Paul  always  triumph  and  rejoice  in  God 
and  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  he  lived  the  life  of  faith  ;  for  faith 
sets  a  man  in  the  favour  of  God  by  Christ,  and  makes  a 
man  see  that  what  befals  him  in  this  life,  it  shall,  through 
the  wisdom  and  mercy  of  God,  not  only  prove  for  his  for- 
warding to  heaven,  but  to  augment  his  glory  when  he 
comes  there.  This  man  now  stands  on  high,  he  lives,  he 
is  rid  of  slavish  fears  and  carking  cares,  and  in  all  his 
straits  he   hath  a  God  to  go  to.     Thus  David,  when  all 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  193 

things  looked  aAvry  upon  him,  "  encouraged  himseff  in  the 
Lord  his  God,"  1  Sam.  xxx.  6,  Daniel  also  helieved  in  his 
God,  and  knew  that  all  his  trouhle,  losses,  and  crosses, 
would  be  abundantly  made  up  in  his  God,  Dan.  vi.  23. 
And  David  said,  "  I  had  fainted  unless  I  had  believed." 
Believing,  therefore,  is  a  great  preservative  against  all  such 
impediments,  and  makes  us  confident  in  our  God,  and  with 
boldness  to  come  into  his  presence,  claiming  privilege  in 
what  he  is  and  hath,  Ps.  xxvii.  13  ;  Jon.  iii.  4,  5  ;  Heb.  x. 
22,  23  ;  Eph.  i.  4-7.  For  by  faith,  I  say,  he  seetli  his  ac- 
ceptance through  the  Beloved,  and  himself  interested  in  the 
mercy  of  God,  and  riches  of  Christ,  and  glory  in  the  world 
to  come.  This  man  can  look  upon  all  the  dangers  in  hell 
and  earth  without  paleness  of  countenance  ;  he  shall  medi- 
tate terror  with  comfort,  "  because  he  beholds  the  King  in 
his  beauty,"  Isa.  xxxiii.  17,  18. 

Again  ;  living  by  faith  makes  a  man  exercise  patience 
and  quietness  under  all  his  afflictions  ;  for  faith  shews  him 
that  his  best  part  is  safe,  that  his  soul  is  in  God's  special 
care  and  protection,  purged  from  sin  in  the  blood  of  Christ. 
Faith  also  shews  him  that  after  a  little  while  he  shall  be  in 
the  full  enjoyment  of  that  whicli  now  he  believes  is  coming  : 
"  We,  through  the  Spirit,  wait  for  the  hope  of  righteous- 
ness by  faith,"  Gal.  v.  5.  Wherefore,  upon  this  ground  it 
is  that  James  exhorteth  the  saints  to  whom  he  wrote  to  pa- 
tience, because  they  knew  the  harvest  would  in  due  time 
come,  James,  v.  7-11.  Faith  lodgeththe  soul  with  Christ: 
"  I  know,"  saith  Paul,  "  on  whom  I  have  believed"  (and 
to  whom  I  have  committed  my  soul),  "  and  am  persuaded 
(I  believe  it)  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  com- 
mitted unto  him  against  that  day  ;"  therefore  it  were  no 
shame  to  him  to  wear  a  chain  for  his  name  and  sake.  Oh  ! 
it  is  a  blessed  thing  to  see,  I  say,  by  the  faith  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  that  we  are  embarked  in  the  same  ship  with  him  ; 
this  will  help  us  greatly  "  both  to  hope  and  quietly  wait 
for  the  salvation  of  the  Lord,"  2  Tim.  i.  12-lG  ;  Psalm  xlvi. 
1-6  ;  Lam.  iii.  26. 

Further,  I  might  add,  that  living  by  faith  is  the  way  to 

u 

\ 


194  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

receive  fresh  strength  from  heaven,  thereby  to  manage 
thine  every  day's  work  with  life  and  vigour ;  yea,  every 
look  by  faith  upon  Jesus  Christ  as  thine  doth  this  great 
work.  It  is  said,  when  Paul  saw  the  brethren  that  came 
to  meet  him,  "  he  thanked  God,  and  took  courage,"  Acts, 
xxviii.  15.  Oh  !  how  much  more,  then,  shall  the  Chris- 
tian be  blessed  with  fi*esh  strength  and  courage  evfen  at  the 
beholding  of  Christ ;  "  whom  beholding  as  in  a  glass,  we 
are  changed,"  even  by  beholding  of  him  by  faith  in  the 
word,  "  into  the  same  image,  fi'om  glory  to  glory,  even  as 
by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,"  2  Cor.  iii.  18.  But  to 
be  brief. 

Make  conscience  of  the  duty  of  believing,  and  be  as  afraid 
of  falling  short  here  as  in  any  other  command  of  God,  John, 
vi.  46.  "  This  is  his  commandment,  that  you  believe," 
1  John,  iii.  23.  Believe,  therefore,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus.  This  is  the  will  of  God,  that  you  believe.  Be- 
lieve, therefore,  to  the  saving  of  the  soul.  Unbelief  is  a 
fine-spun  thread,  not  so  easily  discerned  as  grosser  sins ;  and 
therefore  that  is  truly  "  The  sin  that  doth  so  easily  beset 
us,"  Heb.  xii.  1.  The  light  of  nature  will  shew  those  sins 
that  are  against  the  law  of  nature ;  but  the  law  of  faith  is 
a  command  beyond  what  flesh  or  nature  teacheth  ;  there- 
fore to  live  by  faith  is  so  much  the  harder  work ;  yet  it 
must  be  done,  otherwise  thine  other  duties  profit  thee  no- 
thing. For  if  a  man  give  way  to  unbelief,  though  he  be 
most  frequent  in  all  other  duties  besides,  so  often  as  he 
worshippeth  God  in  these  he  yet  saith,  God  is  a  liar  in  the 
other,  even  because  he  hath  not  believed :  "  He  that  be- 
lieveth  not  God,  hath  made  him  a  liar  ;  because  he  believ- 
eth  not  the  record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son.  And  this  is 
the  record,  that  God  hath  given  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life 
is  in  his  Son,"  1  John,  v.  10,  11.  So,  then,  when  thou 
givest  way  to  unbelief ;  when  thou  dost  not  venture  the 
salvation  of  thy  soul  upon  the  justifying  life  that  is  in 
Christ — that  is,  in  his  blood,  &c. — at  once,  thou  givest  the 
lie  to  the  whole  testament  of  God  ;  yea,  thou  tramplest 
upon  the  promise  of  grace,  and  countest  this  precious  blood 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CUllIST.  ]  95 

an  unholy  and  unworthy  thing,  Heh.  x.  29.  Now  how, 
thou  doing  thus,  the  Lord  should  accept  of  thy  other  duties, 
of  prayer,  alms,  thanksgiving,  self-denial,  or  any  other, 
will  he  hard  for  thee  to  prove.  In  the  meantime  remem- 
her,  that  faith  pleaseth  God ;  and  that  without  faith  it  is 
impossible  to  please  him.  Remember  also,  that  for  this 
cause  it  was  that  the  offering  of  Cain  was  not  accepted  : 
"  By  faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice 
than  Cain  ;"  for  by  faith  Abel  first  justified  the  promise  of 
the  Messias,  by  whom  a  conquest  should  be  obtained  over 
the  devil,  and  all  the  combination  of  hell  against  us  :  then 
he  honoured  Christ  by  believing  that  he  was  able  to  save 
him  ;  and  in  token  that  he  believed  these  things  indeed,  he 
presented  the  Lord  with  the  firstlings  of  his  flock  (Ileb. 
xi.  4),  as  a  remembrance  before  God  that  he  believed  in  his 
Christ,  And  therefore  it  is  said,  "  By  faith  he  offered  ;" 
by  which  means  the  offering  was  accepted  of  God  ;  for  no 
man's  offering  can  be  accepted  with  God  but  his  that  stands 
righteous  before  him  first.  But  unbelief  holdeth  men  under 
their  guilt,  because  they  have  not  believed  in  Christ,  and 
by  that  means  put  on  his  righteousness.  Again  ;  he  that 
believeth  not,  hath  made  invalid  (what  in  him  lies)  the 
promise  of  God  and  merits  of  Christ,  of  whom  the  Father 
hath  spoken  so  worthily  ;  therefore  what  duties  or  acts  of 
obedience  soever  he  performeth,  God  by  no  means  can  be 
pleased  with  him. 

By  this,  therefore,  you  see  the  miserable  state  of  the 
people  that  have  not  faith — "  Whatever  they  do,  they  sin;" 
if  they  break  the  law,  they  sin  ;  if  they  endeavour  to  keep 
it,  they  sin  ;  they  sin,  I  say,  upon  a  double  account — 
first,  because  they  do  it  but  imperfectly  ;  and,  secondly,' 
because  tliey  yet  stay  upon  that,  resisting  that  which  is 
perfect,  even  that  which  God  hath  appointed.  It  mattereth 
not,  as  to  justification  from  the  curse,  therefore,  men  want- 
ing faith,  wliether  they  be  civil  or  profane,  they  are  sucli 
as  stand  accursed  of  the  law,  because  they  have  not  believed, 
and  because  they  liave  given  the  lie  to  the  truth,  and  to 
the  God  of  trutlu     Let  all  men,  therefore,  that  would  please 


196  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

God  make  conscience  of  believing  ;  on  pain,  I  say,  of  dis- 
pleasing him  ;  on  pain  of  being  with  Cain  rejected,  and  on 
pain  of  being  damned  in  hell.  "  He  that  believeth  not  shall 
be  damned,"  Mark,  xvi.  IG.  Faith  is  the  very  quintessence 
of  all  gospel  obedience,  it  being  that  which  must  go  before 
other  duties,  and  that  which .  also  must  accompany  what- 
ever I  do  in  the  worship  of  God,  if  it  be  accepted  of  him. 
Here  you  may  see  a  re^.son  why  the  force  and  power  of 
hell  is  so  bent  against  believing  ;  Satan  hateth  all  the  parts 
of  our  Christian  obedience,  but  the  best  and  chiefest  most. 
And  hence  the  apostle  saith  to  the  Thessalonians,  "  That 
he  sent  to  know  their  faitli,  lest  by  some  means  the  tempter 
have  tempted  them,  and  so  his  labour  had  been  in  vain," 
1  Thess.  iii.  5.  Indeed,  where  faith  is  wanting,  or  hath 
been  destroyed,  all  the  labour  is  in  vain,  nothing  can  profit 
any  man,  neither  as  to  peace  with  God,  nor  the  acceptance 
of  any  religious  duty  ;  and  this,  I  say,  Satan  knows,  which 
makes  him  so  lend  his  force  against  us. 

There  are  three  things  in  the  act  of  believing  which 
makes  this  grace  displeasing  to  the  wicked  one — 

1.  Faith  disco vereth  the  truth  of  things  to  the  soul  ;  the 
truth  of  things  as  they  are,  whether  they  be  things  that 
are  of  this  world,  or  of  that  which  is  to  come  ;  the  things 
and  pleasures  above,  and  also  those  beneath.  Faith  dis- 
covereth  to  the  soul  the  blessedness,  and  goodness,  and 
durableness  of  the  one  ;  the  vanity,  foolishness,  transitori- 
ness  of  the  other.  Faith  giveth  credit  to  all  things  that  are 
written  in  the  law  and  in  the  prophets.  Acts,  xxiv.  14,  both 
as  to  the  being,  nature,  and  attributes  of  God  ;  the  blessed 
undertaking  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ;  the  glory  of  heaven 
and  torments  of  hell  ;  the  sweetness  of  the  promise  and 
terror  of  the  threatenings  and  curses  of  the  word  ;  by  which 
means  Satan  is  greatly  frustrated  in  his  assaults  when  he 
tempteth  either  to  love  this  world  or  slight  that  which  is 
to  come,  for  he  can  do  no  great  matter  in  these  things  to 
anv^  but  those  who  want  the  faith — "  In  vain  is  the  snare 
laid  in  the  sight  of  any  bird ;"  therefore  he  must  first  blind, 
and  hold  blind  the  minds  of  men,  "  that  the  light  of  the 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  IL'7 

glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  f;lioiiId 
not  shine  into  them,"  else  he  can  do  no  harm  to  the  sonl. 
Now  foith  is  the  eye  of  the  godly  man,  and  that  sees  the 
truth  of  things,  whatever  Satan  suggests,  either  about  the 
glory  of  this  world,  the  sweetness  erf  sin,  the  imcertainty  of 
another  world,  or  the  like,  1  John,  v.  4,  5  ;  Prov.  i.  17  ; 
2  Cor.  iv.  4  ;  Heb.  xi.  27. 

2.  Faith  wraps  the  soul  up  in  the  bundle  of  life  with  God ; 
it  encloseth  it  in  the  righteousness  of  Jesus,  and  presents  it 
so  perfect  in  that,  that  whatever  he  can  do,  with  all  his 
cunning,  cannot  render  the  soul  spotted  or  wrinkled  before 
the  justice  of  the  law  ;  yea,  though  the  man,  as  to  his  own 
person  and  acts,  be  full  of  sin  from  top  to  toe,  Jesus  Christ 
covereth  all ;  faith  sees  it,  and  holds  the  soul  in  its  godly 
sense  and  comfort  of  it.  The  man,  therefore,  standing  hero, 
stands  shrouded  under  that  goodly  robe  that  makes  him 
glister  in  the  eye  of  justice.  Yea,  all  the  answer  that  Satan 
can  get  from  God  against  such  a  soul  is,  that  he  "  doth  not 
see  iniquity  in  Jacob,  nor  behold  perverseness  in  Israel :  for 
here  Israel  hath  not  been  forsaken,  nor  Judah  of  his  God,  of 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  though,  as  to  their  own  persons,  their 
land  was  filled  with  sin  against  the  Holy  One  of  Israel," 
Numb,  xxxiii.  21-23  ;  Jer.  li,  5  ;  Rom.  vi.  14  ;  Deut.  xxxiii. 
12.  Thus,  therefore,  the  soul  believing,  is  hid  fi-om  all  the 
power  of  the  enemy,  and  dwells  safely  under  the  dominion 
of  grace. 

3.  Faith  keeps  the  soul  fi-om  giving  credit  to  any  of  his 
insinuations  ;  for  whatever  Satan  saith,  either  about  the 
acceptance  of  my  person  or  performances,  so  long  as  I  be- 
lieve that  both  are  accepted  of  God  for  Christ's  sake,  he 
suggesteth  to  the  wind ;  wherefore,  faith  doth  the  same  against 
the  devil  that  unbelief  doth  against  God.  Doth  unbelief 
count  God  a  liar  1  Faith  counts  the  devil  a  liar.  Doth  unbe- 
lief hold  the  soul  from  the  mercy  of  God  ?  Faith  b.olds  the 
soul  fi'om  the  malice  of  the  devil.  Doth  unbelief  quench 
thy  graces  ?  Faith  kindleth  them  even  unto  a  flame.  Doth 
unbelief  fill  the  soul  full  of  sorrow  ?  Faith  fills  it  full  of 
the  joy  of  the  Koly  Gliost  ?     In  a  word,  doth  mibelief  bind 


198  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

do-vvn  thy  sins  upon  thee  ?     Why,  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  re- 
leaseth  thee  of  them  all. 

4.  As  faith  keeps  the  soul  from  giving  credit  to  the  insi- 
nuations of  Satan,  so,  when  he  makes  his  assaults,  it  over- 
masters him,  and  makes  him  retreat ;  "  Resist  the  devil,  and 
he  will  flee  from  you, — Whom  resist  steadfast  in  the  faith," 
James,  iv.  7  ;  1  Pet.  v.  9.  Bslieve,  as  I  have  already  said, 
that  God  loveth  you,  that  the  hlood  of  Christ  was  shed  for 
you,  that  your  person  is  presented  complete  hefore  him, 
through  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  Satan  must  give 
place  ;  thy  crediting  of  the  gospel  makes  him  fly  before 
thee  ;  but  thou  must  do  it  steadfast  in  the  faith  ;  every 
waver  giveth  him  advantage.  And  indeed  this  is  the  reason 
that  the  godly  are  so  foiled  with  his  assaults,  they  do  not 
resist  him  steadfast  in  the  faith  ;  they  often  stagger  through 
unbelief.  Kow,  at  every  stagger  he  recovereth  lost  ground 
again,  and  giveth  battle  another  time.  Besides,  by  this  and 
the  other  stagger  he  taketh  heart  to  attempt  by  other  means, 
and  so  doubleth  the  affliction  with  manifold  temptations. 
This  is,  I  say,  for  want  of  being  steadfast — "Above  all,  taking 
the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith  you  shall  be  able  to  quench  all 
the  fiery  darts  of  the  wicked,"  Ephes.  vi.  16.  To  quench 
them,  though  they  come  from  him  as  kindled  with  the 
very  fire  of  hell.  None  knows,  save  him  that  feels  it,  how 
burning  hot  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan  are  ;  and  how,  when 
darted,  they  kindle  upon  our  flesh  and  unbelief ;  neither 
can  any  know  the  power  and  Avorth  of  faith  to  quench 
them  but  he  that  hath  it,  and  hath  power  to  act  it. 

5.  Lastly,  if  justifying  righteousness  be  alone  to  be  found 
in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ,  then  this  shews  us  the  sad 
condition  of  two  sorts  of  men — 

1.  Of  those  that  hang  in  doubt  betwixt  Christ  and  the 
law. 

2.  Of  those  that  do  professedly  make  denial  of  the  suffi- 
ciency of  this  most  blessed  righteousness. 

The  first  sort,  though  they  may  seek  life,  yet,  thus  con- 
tinuing, are  never  like  to  find  it.  Wherefore  ?  Because 
they  seek  it  not  by  faith,  but,  as  it  were,  by  the  works  of 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  199 

the  law.  Indeed,  they  will  not  be  merit-mongers  ;  they 
will  not  wholly  trust  to  the  law  ;  they  will  partly  venture 
on  Christ,  and  partly  trust  to  the  law.  Well,  hut  there- 
fore they  shall  he  damned,  because  they  trust  to  Christ  but 
in  part,  and  in  part,  as  it  were,  to  the  works  of  the  law  ; 
for  such  sinners  make  Christ  but  a  Saviour  in  part — why 
then  should  he  be  their  Saviour  in  whole  ?  No,  because 
they  halt  between  Christ  and  the  law,  therefore  they  shall 
fall  between  Christ  and  the  law  ;  yea,  because  they  will 
trust  to  their  works  in  part,  they  shall  be  but  almost  saved 
by  Christ.  Let  not  that  man  think  that  he  shall  obtain 
any  thing  from  the  Lord.  What  man  ?  Why,  he  that 
doubteth  or  wavereth  in  his  mind  about  the  truth  of  the 
mercy  of  God  in  Christ.  Therefore  the  exhortation  is, 
*'  But  let  him  ask  in  faith  ;  for  he  that  wavereth  (or,  that 
halteth  between  the  law  and  Christ  for  life)  is  like  a  wave 
of  the  sea,  driven  of  the  wind  and  tossed,"  Jam.  i.  6,  7.  In 
conclusion,  he  resteth  nowhere, — "  a  double-minded  man 
is  unstable  in  all  his  ways."  This  man,  therefore,  must  mis- 
carry ;  he  must  not  see  the  good  land  that  flows  with  milk 
and  honey  ;  no,  let  him  not  have  a  thought  of  life  in  his 
heart ;  let  not  that  man  think  that  he  shall  receive  any 
thing  of  the  Lord. 

This  was  the  case  of  many  in  the  primitive  times,  for 
whose  sake  this  caution  was  written  ;  for  the  devout  and 
religious  Jew  and  proselyte,  when  they  fell  away  from  the 
word  of  the  gospel,  they  did  not  fall  to  those  gross  and  abo- 
minable pollutions  in  which  the  open  profane,  like  sows 
and  swine,  do  wallow,  but  they  fell  from  the  grace  of  God 
to  the  law  ;  or,  at  least,  did  rest  betwixt  them  both,  doubt- 
ing of  the  sufficiency  of  either ;  and  thus,  being  fearful, 
they  distrust ;  wherefore,  being  found  at  length  unbelieving, 
they  are  reputed  of  God  abominable,  as  murderers,  whore- 
mongers, sorcerers,  idolators,  and  liars  (Rev.  xxi.  8)  ;  and 
so  must  have  their  portion  in  the  lake  (with  them)  that 
burns  with  fire  and  brimstone.  The  reason  is,  because 
where  Christ  is  rejected  sin  remaineth,  and  so  the  wrath  of 
God  for  sin.    Neither  will  he  be  a  Saviour  in  part ;  he  must 


200  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

be  all  thy  salvation,  or  none — "  Let  not  that  man  think  that 
he  shall  receive  any  thing  of  the  Lord,"  Jam,  i.  7. 

Not  any  thing.  There  is  no  promise  for  him,  no  pardon 
for  him,  no  heaven  for  him,  no  salvation  for  him,  no  escaping 
of  his  fire  !  What  condition  is  this  man  in  !  Yet  he  is  a 
religious  man,  for  he  prays  ;  he  is  a  seeking  man,  a  desiring 
man,  for  he  pra^'s  ;  hut  he  halts  between  two,  he  leaneth  to 
his  righteousness,  and  committeth  iniquity.  He  is  afraid  to 
venture  all  upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Let  not  that  man 
think  of  receiving  any  thing  from  the  Lord, 

Yet  the  words  suggest  that  he  is  apt  to  think  he  shall  re- 
ceive something,  because  God  is  merciful,  because  his  pro- 
mise is  great  ;  but  this  expectation  is  by  this  word  cut  off, 
and  this  sinner  is  cast  away.  Let  not  that  man  think,  let 
him  forbear  to  think,  of  having  anything  at  the  hand  of 
God.  The  Israelites  thought  to  go  up  to  the  land  the  day 
after  they  had  despised  it.  Agag  thought  the  bitterness  of 
death  was  past  even  that  day  in  which  he  was  hewn  to 
pieces.  Rechab  and  Baanah  his  brother  thought  to  have 
received  reward  of  David  that  day  they  Avere  hanged  over 
the  pool  in  Hebron.  "  Let  not  that  man  think  that  he  shall 
receive  anything  of  the  Lord,"  Num.  xiv.  40,  41  ;  1  Sam. 
XV.  32,  33  ;  2  Sam,  iv.  12. 

2.  As  for  those  that  do  professedly  make  denial  of  the 
sufficiency  of  this  most  blessed  righteousness,  the  whole 
book  is  conviction  to  them,  and  shall  assuredly,  if  it  come 
to  their  hands,  rise  up  in  judgment  against  them.  They 
have  rejected  the  wisdom  and  mercy  of  God  ;  they  have  re- 
jected the  means  of  their  salvation  ;  they  have  trampled 
upon  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  wherefore  judgment 
waiteth  for  them,  and  fiery  indignation,  which  shall  devour 
the  adversaries. 

To  conclude.  One  word  also  to  you  that  are  neglecters  of 
Jesus  Christ :  "  How  shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great 
salvation  ?"  Here,  then,  we  may  see  how  we  ought  to  judge 
of  all  such  persons  as  neglect  the  Lord  Jesus,  under  what 
guise,  name,  or  notion  soever  they  be.  We  ought,  I  say,  to 
judge  of  such,  that  they  are  at  present  in  a  state  of  condem- 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  201 

nation  ;  of  condemnation,  "  because  they  have  not  believed 
in  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,"  John,  iii._18. 

It  is  true,  there  is  no  man  more  at  ease  in  his  mind  (witli 
such  ease  as  it  is)  than  the  man  that  hath  not  closed  vi^ith 
the  Lord  Jesus,  but  is  shut  up  in  unbelief.  Oh  !  but  that 
is  the  man  that  stands  convict  before  God,  and  that  is 
bound  over  to  the  great  assize  ;  that  is  the  man  whose  sins 
are  still  his  own,  and  upon  whom  the  wrath  of  God  abideth, 
ver.  3G  ;  for  the  ease  and  peace  of  such,  though  it  keep  them 
far  from  fear,  is  but  like  to  that  of  the  secure  thief,  that  is 
ignorant  that  the  constable  standeth  at  the  door  ;  the  first 
sight  of  an  officer  makes  his  peace  to  give  up  the  ghost.  Ah, 
how  many  thousands  that  can  now  glory  that  they  never 
Avere  troubled  for  sin  against  God  ;  I  say,  how  many  he 
there  that  God  will  trouble  worse  than  he  trou])led  cursed 
Achan,  because  their  peace  (though  false,  and  of  the  devil) 
was  rather  chosen  by  them  than  peace  by  Jesus  Christ, 
than  "  peace  with  God  by  the  blood  of  his  cross,"  Col.  i,  20. 

Aw^ake,  careless  sinners,  awake  !  and  arise  from  the  dead, 
and  Christ  shall  give  you  light.  Content  not  yourselves 
either  with  sin  or  righteousness,  if  you  be  destitute  of  Jesus 
Christ  (Eph.  v.  14)  ;  but  cry,  cry,  oh  cry  to  God  for  light 
to  see  your  condition  by  ;  for  light  in  the  word  of  God,  for 
therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed.  Cry,  there- 
fore, for  light  to  see  this  righteousness  by  ;  it  is  a  right- 
eousness of  Christ's  finishing,  of  God's  accepting,  and  that 
which  alone  can  save  the  soul  from  the  stroke  of  eternal 
justice,  Rom.  i.  17. 

There  are  six  things  that  on  man's  part  are  the  cause  he 
receiveth  not  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  so  life  by  him. 

1.  They  see  not  their  state  by  nature,  how  polluted  they 
are  with  original  sin,  Eph.  ii.  2. 

2.  They  see  not  the  justice  of  God  against  sin  ;  they  know 
not  him  that  hath  said,  "  Vengeance  belongeth  unto  me,  I 
will  recompense,"  Heb.  x.  30. 

3.  They  cannot  see  the  beauty  of  Jesus  Christ,  2  Cor. 
iv.  4. 

4.  Unbelief  being  mighty  in  them,  they  dare  not  venture 


202  NO  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

their  souls  "vvith  Jesus  Christ  (Rev.  xxi.  8)  ;  they  dare  not 
trust  to  his  righteousness,  and  to  that  only.     For, 

5.  Their  carnal  ]-eason  also  sets  itself  against  the  word  of 
faith,  and  cannot  stoop  to  the  grace  of  Jesus  Christ,  1  Cor. 
ii.  14. 

6.  They  love  to  have  honour  one  of  another  (John,  v. 
44)  ;  they  love  to  be  commended  for  their  own  vain-glorious 
righteousness  ;  and  the  fools  think  that  because  they  are 
commended  of  men,  they  shall  be  commended  of  God  also  : 
"  How  can  you  believe,  who  seek  honour  one  of  another, 
and  seek  not  the  honour  that  cometh  from  God  only.''''  This 
last  thing — to  wit,  desire  of  vain-glory,  is  the  bane  of  thou- 
sands ;  it  is  the  legalist's  bane,  it  is  the  civilian's  bane,  it  is 
the  formalist's  bane,  yea,  which  yet  is  stranger,  it  is  the 
bane  of  the  vicious  and  debauched  also  ;  for  though  there 
be  a  generation  that,  to  one's  thinking,  have  not  regard  to 
righteousness,  yet  watch  them  narrowly,  and  they  have 
their  times  of  doing  something  that  looks  like  good,  and 
though  possibly  it  be  but  seldom,  yet  this  wretch  counteth 
that  for  the  sake  of  that  God  accepteth  him,  and  counteth 
his,-  glorious  righteousness. 

I  might  add  a  seventh  cause,  which  is,  want  of  serious 
meditation  upon  eternal  judgment,  and  what  shall  follow. 
This  consideration,  did  it  take  a  deep  plnce  in  the  heart, 
would  doubtless  produce  these  workings  of  spirit  after  Jesus 
Christ  for  justification  that  now  is  wanting  in  the  most  of 
men.  This  made  Felix,  yea,  it  makes  the  devils,  tremble  ; 
and  would,  I  say,  couldst  thou  deeply  meditate,  make  thee 
start  and  tui-n  thy  wanton  thoughts  into  heavy  sighs  after 
God's  mercy  in  Jesus  Christ,  lest  thou  also  come  into  their 
place  of  torment. 

Before  I  conclude  this  use,  I  would  lay  do's\Ti  a  few  mo- 
tives, if  so  be  thou  mayest  be  prevailed  with  to  look  after 
thine  own  everlasting  state. 

1.  Consider,  God  hath  put  man,  above  all  the  creatures 
in  this  visible  world,  into  a  state  of  abiding  for  ever  ;  they 
cannot  be  annihilated,  they  shall  never  again  be  turned 
into  nothing,  but  must  live  with  God  or  the  devil  for  ever 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  203 

and  ever.  And  though  the  scripture  saith,  "  Man  hath  not 
pre-eminence  over  a  beast  in  his  death,"  yet  the  beast  hatli 
pre-eminence  above  many  men,  for  he  shall  not  rise  again 
to  come  into  judgment  as  man  must,  nor  receive  tliat  dis- 
mal sentence  for  sin  and  transgression  as  man  shall  ;  this, 
therefore,  is  worthy  to  be  considered  with  seriousness  of  all 
that  have  souls  to  be  saved  or  damned — "  They  must  one 
day  come  to  judgment,"  there  to  stand  before  that  Judge 
of  all  the  earth  whose  eyes  are  like  a  flame  of  fire,  from  the 
sight  of  which  thou  canst  not  hide  one  of  thy  words,  or 
thoughts,  or  actions,  because  thou  wantest  the  righteous- 
ness of  God.  The  fire  of  his  justice  shall  burn  up  all  thy 
rags  of  righteousness  wherewith  by  the  law  thou  hast 
clothed  thyself,  and  will  leave  thee  nothing  but  a  soul 
full  of  sin  to  bemoan,  and  eternal  burnings  to  grapple  with. 
Oh,  the  burnings  that  \\ill  then  beset  sinners  on  every  side, 
and  that  will  eat  their  fiesh  and  torment  their  spirit  with 
far  more  terror  than  if  they  were  stricken  with  scorpions  ! 
And  observe  it,  the  torment  will  there  be  higher  than  other 
where  there  is  the  guilt  of  neglecting  Jesus  Christ,  he  being 
indeed  the  Saviour,  and  him  that  was  sent  on  purpose  to 
deliver  men  from  the  wrath  to  come. 

2.  Consider,  once  past  grace,  and  ever  past  grace.  When 
the  door  is  shut  against  thee,  it  will  open  no  more  (Luke, 
xiii.),  and  then  repentings,  desires,  wishings,  and  Avouldings, 
come  all  too  late.  Good  may  be  done  to  others,  but  to  thee, 
none  ;  and  this  shall  be  "  because,  even  because  thou  hast 
withstood  the  time  of  thy  visitation,"  and  not  received 
grace  when  offered  :  "  My  God  shall  cast  them  away,  be- 
cause they  did  not  hearken  unto  him,"  Luke,  xix.  41-43  ; 
Hos.  ix.  17.  Cain  was  driven  out  ft'om  the  presence  of 
God,  for  aught  I  know,  some  hundreds  of  years  before  his 
death  ;  Ishmael  was  cast  away  after  seventeen  years  of  age ; 
Esau  lived  thirty  or  forty  years  after  he  had  sold  his  birth- 
right. Oh,  many,  very  many  are  in  this  condition  !  for 
though  God  be  gracious,  yea,  very  gracious,  yet  he  will  not 
be  slighted  nor  abused  always  ;  there  are  plenty  of  sinners 
in  the  world — if  one  will  not,  another  will,  Luke,  viii.  37 , 


204  no  WAY  TO  HEAVEN 

40.  Christ  was  soon  repulsed  by  and  sent  away  from  the 
country  of  the  Gadarenes  ;  but  on  the  other  side  of  the  sea 
there  were  many  ready  with  joy  to  receive  him,  Acts,  xiii. 
46-48.  So  when  the  Jews  contradicted  and  blasphemed, 
"the  Gentiles  gladly  received  the  word."  Look  to  it, 
sinner,  here  is  life  and  death  set  before  thee  ;  life,  if  it  be 
not  too  late  to  receive  it  ;  but  if  it  be,  it  is  not  too  late  for 
death  to  swallow  thes  up.  And  tell  me,  v.-ill  it  not  be 
dreadful  to  be  carried  from  under  the  gospel  to  the  damned, 
there  to  lie  in  endless  torment,  because  thou  wouldst  not  be 
delivered  therefrom  ?  Will  it  be  comfort  to  thee  to  see  the 
Saviour  turn  Judge  ?  to  see  him  that  wept  and  died  for  the 
sin  of  the  world  now  ease  his  mind  on  Christ-abhorring 
sinners  by  rendering  to  them  the  just  judgment  of  God  ? 
For  all  their  abominable  filthiness,  had  they  closed  with 
Christ,  they  had  been  shrouded  from  the  justice  of  the  law, 
and  should  not  have  come  into  condemnation,  "  but  had 
been  passed  from  death  to  life  ;"  but  they  would  not  take 
shelter  there  ;  they  would  venture  to  meet  the  justice  of 
God  in  its  fury,  wherefore  now  it  shall  swallow  them  up 
for  ever  and  ever.  And  let  me  ask  further,  is  not  he  a 
madman  who,  being  loaded  with  combustible  matter,  will 
run  headlong  into  a  hre  upon  a  bravado  ?  or,  that  being 
guilty  of  felony  or  murder,  will  despeiately  run  himself 
into  the  hand  of  the  officer,  as  if  the  law,  the  judge,  the 
sentence,  execution,  were  but  a  jest,  or  a  thing  to  be  played 
withal  ?  And  yet  thus  mad  are  poor,  wretched,  miserable 
sinners,  who  flying  from  Christ  as  if  he  were  a  viper,  they 
are  overcome,  and  cast  off  for  ever  by  the  just  judgment  of 
the  law.  But  ah  !  how  poorly  will  these  be  able  to  plead 
the  virtues  of  the  law  to  wiiich  they  have  cleaved,  when 
God  shall  answer  them,  "  Whom  dost  thou  pass  in  beauty  ? 
go  down,  and  be  thou  laid  Avith  the  uncircumcised,"  Ezek. 
xxxii.  19.  Go  down  to  hell,  and  there  be  laid  v/ith  those 
that  refused  the  grace  of  God. 

Sinners,  take  my  advice,  with  which  I  shall  conclude 
this  use — Call  often  to  remembrance  that  thou  hast  a  pre- 
cious soul  within  thee  ;  that  thou  art  in  the  way  to  thine 


BUT  BY  JESUS  CHRIST.  205 

end,  at. "which  thy  precious  soul  will  be  in  special  concerned, 
it  being  then  time  to  delay  no  longer,  the  time  of  reward 
being  come.  I  say  again,  bring  thy  end  home  ;  put  thyself 
in  thy  thoughts  into  the  last  day  thou  must  live  in  this 
world,  seriously  arguing  thus — How  if  this  day  were  my 
last  ■?  How  if  I  never  see  the  sun  rise  more  ?  How  if  the 
tirst  voice  that  rings  to-morrow  morning  in  my  heavy  ears 
be,  "  Arise,  ye  dead,  and  come  to  judgments"  Or,  how  if 
the  next  sight  I  see  with  mine  eyes  be  the  Lord  in  the 
clouds,  with  all  his  angels,  raining  floods  of  hre  and  brim- 
stone upon  the  world  1  Am  I  in  a  case  to  be  thus  near 
mine  end  ?  to  hear  this  trump  of  God  1  or  to  see  this  great 
appearance  of  this  great  God,  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ? 
AVill  my  profession,  or  the  faith  I  think  I  have,  carry  me 
through  all  the  trials  of  God's  tribunal  ?  Cannot  his  eyes, 
which  are  as  a  flame  of  fire,  see  in  my  words,  thoughts, 
and  actions  enough  to  make  me  culpable  of  the  wrath  of 
God  ?  Oh  !  how  serious  should  sinners  be  in  this  work  of 
remembering  things  to  come,  of  laying  to  their  heart  the 
greatness  and  terror  of  that  notable  day  of  God  Almighty, 
and  in  examining  themselves,  how  it  is  like  to  go  with 
their  souls  when  they  shall  stand  before  the  Judge  indeed  1 
To  this  end,  God  make  this  word  effectual.    Amen. 


THE  STRAIT  GATE; 

OR, 

GREAT  DIFFICULTY   OF   GOING    TO   HtAVEN 


Plainly  proving,  by  the  Scriptures,  that  not  only  the  Rude  and  Profane, 
but  many  great  Professors,  will  come  short  of  that  Kingdom. 


Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate  ;  for  wide  is  the  gate,  and  broad  is  the  way,  that 
leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat:  because  strait  is 
the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that 
find  it."-Ma.tth.  vii.  13,  U. 


TO    THE   READER. 

CouiiTEous  Reader, 

God  (I  hope)  hath  put  it  into  my  heart  to  write  unto 
thee  another  time,  and  that  about  matters  of  the  greatest 
moment  (for  now  we  discourse  not  about  things  contro- 
verted among  tlie  godly,  but  directly  about  the  saving  or 
damning  of  the  soul ;  yea,  moreover,  this  discourse  is  about 
the  fewness  of  them  that  shall  be  saved,  and  it  proves,  that 
many  an  high  professor  will  come  short  of  eternal  life)  ; 
wherefore  the  matter  must  needs  be  sharp,  and  so  disliked 
by  some,  but  let  it  not  be  rejected  by  thee.  The  text  calls 
for  sharpness,  so  do  the  times,  yea,  the  faithful  discharge 
of  my  duty  towards  thee  hath  put  me  upon  it. 

I  do  not  now  pipe,  but  mourn  ;  and  it  will  be  well  for 
thee  if  thou  canst  graciously  lament,  INIatth.  xi.  17.  Some 
(say  they)  make  the  gate  of  heaven  too  wide,  and  some 
make  it  too  narrow  ;  for  my  part,  I  have  here  presented 
thee  with  as  true  a  measure  of  it,  as  by  the  word  of  God  I 
can.  Read  me,  therefore,  yea,  read  me,  and  compare  me 
with  the  Bible  ;  and  if  thou  findest  my  doctrine  and  that 
book  of  God  concur,  embrace  it,  as  thou  wilt  answer  the 
contrary  in  the  day  of  judgment.  This  awakening  work 
(if  God  will  make  it  so)  was  prepared  for  thee  :  if  there  be 
need,  and  it  wounds,  get  healing  by  blood  :  if  it  disquiets, 
get  peace  by  blood  :  if  it  takes  away  all  thou  hast,  because 
it  was  naught  (for  this  book  is  not  prepared  to  take  away 
true  grace  fi'om  any),  then  buy  of  Christ  gold  tried  in  the 
fire,  that  thou  mayst  be  rich,  and  white  raiment,  that  thou 
mayst  be  clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of  thy  nakedness 
doth  not  appear,  and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve,  that 
thou  mayst  see,  Rev.  iii.  18.  Self-flatteries,  self-deceivings, 
are  easy  and  pleasant,  but  damnable.  The  Lord  give  thee 
an  heart  to  judge  right  of  thyself,  right  of  this  book,  and 
so  prepare  for  eternity,  that  thou  mayst  not  only  expect 
entrance,  but  be  received  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and 
of  God.     Amen. 

So  prays  thy  Friend, 

JOHN  BUNYAN. 


THE  STRAIT  GATE; 

OR, 

GREAT  DIFFICULTY  OF   GOING  TO  HEAVEN. 


"  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate :  for  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  i 
in,  and  shall  not  be  a6?e."— Luke,  xiii.  24. 


These  are  the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  are, 
therefore,  in  especial  manner  to  he  heeded  ;  besides,  the 
subject  matter  of  the  words  is  the  most  weighty,  to  wit, 
how  we  should  attain  salvation,  and  therefore  also  to  be 
heeded. 

The  occasion  of  the  words  was  a  question  which  one  that 
was  at  this  time  in  the  company  of  the  disciples,  put  to 
Jesus  Christ ;  the  question  was  this,  "  Lord,  are  there  few 
that  be  saved  1"  ver.  23.  A  serious  question,  not  such  as 
tended  to  the  subversion  of  the  hearers,  as  too  many  now 
a-  days  do  ;  but  such  as  in  its  o%vn  nature  tended  to  the 
awakening  of  the  company  to  good,  and  that  called  for 
such  an  answer  that  might  profit  the  people  also.  This 
question  also  well  pleased  Jesus  Christ,  and  he  prepareth 
and  giveth  such  an  answer  as  was  without  the  least  retort, 
or  shew  of  distaste  ;  such  an  answer,  I  say,  as  carried  in 
it  the  most  full  resolve  to  the  question  itself,  and  help  to 
the  persons  questioning  :  "  And  he  said  unto  them,  Strive 
to  enter  in,"  &c.  The  words  are  an  answer,  and  an  instruc- 
tion also. 

1.  An  answer,  and  that  in  the  affirmative  ;.  the  gate  is 
strait, — many  that  seek  will  not  be  able,  therefore  but  few 
shall  be  saved. 

2.  Xhe  answer  is  an  instruction  also  ;  "  strive  to  enter 
in,"  &c.  good  coimsel  and  instruction  ;  pray  God  help  me. 


212  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

end  my  reader,  and  all  that  love  tlieir  own  salvation,  to 
take  it. 

I\Iy  manner  of  handling  the  words  will  be,  first,  by  way 
of  explication,  and  then  by  way  of  observation. 

I.  By  way  of  explication. 

The  words  are  to  be  considered,  first,  with  reference  to 
their  general  scope  ;  and  then  with  reference  to  their  several 
j)h  rases. 

First,  the  general  scope  of  the  text  is  to  be  considered, 
and  tliat  is  that  great  thing  salvation  ;  for  these  words  do 
immediately  look  at,  point  to,  and  give  directions  about 
salvation  :  "  Are  there  few  that  be  saved  ?  strive  to  enter 
in  at  the  strait  gate." 

The  words,  I  sa^",  are  to  direct  us,  not  only  to  talk  of, 
or  to  wish  for,  but  to  understand  how  we  shall,  and  to  seek 
that  we  may  be  efi^ectually  saved,  and  therefore  of  the 
greatest  importance.  To  be  saved  !  what  is  like  being  saved  ? 
To  be  saved  from  sin,  from  hell,  from  the  wrath  of  God, 
from  eternal  damnation,  what  is  like  it  ?  To  be  made  an 
heir  of  God,  of  his  grace,  of  his  kingdom  and  eternal  glory, 
what  is  like  it  ?  and  yet  all  this  is  included  in  this  word 
saved,  and  in  the  answer  to  that  question,  are  there  few 
that  be  saved  ?  •  Indeed  this  word  saved  is  but  of  little  use 
in  the  world,  save  to  them  that  are  heartily  afraid  of 
damning.  This  word  lies  in  the  Bible,  as  excellent  salves 
lie  in  some  men's  houses,  thrust  into  a  hole,  and  not  thought 
on  for  many  months,  ],>ecause  the  household-people  have  no 
wounds  nor  sores.  In  time  of  sickness,  what  so  set  by 
as  the  doctor's  glasses  and  gaily -pots  full  of  his  excellent 
things  ?  but  when  the  person  is  grown  well,  the  rest  is 
thrown  to  the  dunghill.  Oh  !  when  men  are  sick  of  sin, 
and  afraid  of  danming,  what  a  text  is  that,  wdiere  this  word 
saved  is  found  1  Yea,  what  a  word.,  of  worth,  and  goodness, 
and  blessedness,  is  it  to  him  that  lies  continually  upon  the 
wrath  of  a  guilty  conscience  1  "  But  the  whole  need  not 
the  physician  ;"  he  therefore,  and  he  only,  knows  what 
saved  means,  that  knows  what  liell,  and  death,  and  dam- 
nation means.     "  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved  ? "  is  tho 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  213 

language  of  the  trembling  sinner.  "  Lord  save  me,"  is  the 
language  of  the  sinking  sinner ;  and  none  admire  the  glory 
that  is  in  tliat  word  saved,  hut  such  as  see,  without  being 
saved,  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth  are  emptiness  to  them. 
They  also  that  believe  themselves  privileged  in  all  the 
blessedness  that  is  wrapped  up  in  that  word,  bless  and 
admire  God  that  hath  saved  them.  Wherefore,  since  the 
thing  intended,  both  in  the  question  and  the  answer,  is  no 
less  than  the  salvation  of  the  soul,  I  beseech  you  to  give 
the  more  earnest  heed,  Heb.  xxi. 

But  to  come  to  the  particular  phrases  in  the  words,  and 
to  handle  them  orderly,  in  the  words  I  find  four  things. 

1.  An  intimation  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  2.  A  de- 
scription of  the  entrance  into  it ;  3,  An  exhortation  to  enter 
into  it ;  and,  4.  A  motive  to  enforce  that  exhortation. 

].  An  intimation  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  for  when 
he  saith,  "  Strive  to  enter  in  :"  and  in  such  phrases  there 
is  supposed  a  place  or  state,  or  both,  to  be  enjoyed.  "  Enter 
in  ;"  enter  into  w^hat,  or  whither,  but  into  a  state  or  place, 
or  both  ?  and  therefore  when  you  read  this  word,  "  enter 
in,"  you  must  say  there  is  certainly  included  in  the  text 
that  good  thing  that  yet  is  not  expressed.  "  Enter  in ;"  into 
heaven,  that  is  the  meaning,  where  the  saved  are,  and  shall 
be  ;  into  heaven,  that  place,  that  glorious  place,  where  God, 
and  Christ,  and  angels  are,  and  the  souls  or  spirits  of  just 
men  made  perfect.  "  Enter  in ;"  that  thing  included,  though 
not  expressed  in  the  words,  is  called  in  another  place,  the 
Mount  Zion,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  general  assembly 
and  church  of  the  first-born  which  are  written  in  heaven, 
Heb.  xii.  And  therefore  the  words  signify  unto  us,  that 
there  is  a  state  most  glorious,  and  that  when  this  world 
is  ended  ;  and  that  this  place  and  state  is  likewise  to  be 
enjoyed,  and  inherited  by  a  generation  of  men  for  ever. 
Besides,  this  w^ord,  enter  in,  signifieth  that  salvation  to 
the  full  is  to  be  enjoyed  only  there,  and  that  there  only 
is  eternal  safety  ;  all  other  places  and  conditions  are 
hazardous,  dangerous,  full  of  snares,  imperfections,  temp- 
tations, and  afflictions,  but  there  all  is  well  ;  there  is  no 


214  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

devil  to  tempt,  no  desperately  wicked  heart  to  deliver  us 
up,  no  deceitful  lust  to  entangle,  nor  any  enchanting  world 
to  bewitch  us  :  there  all  shall  be  well  to  all  eternity. 
Further,  all  the  parts  of,  and  circumstances  that  attend 
salvation,  are  only  there  to  be  enjoyed  :  there  only  is 
immortality  and  eternal  life  ;  there  is  the  glory  and  ful- 
ness of  joy,  and  the  everlasting  pleasures  ;  there  is  God  and 
Christ  to  be  enjoyed  by  open  vision,  and  more  ;  there  are 
the  angels,  and  the  saints  ;  further,  there  is  no  death,  nor 
sickness,  nor  sorrow,  nor  sighing,  for  ever  :  there  is  no  pain, 
nor  persecutor,  nor  darkness,  to  eclipse  our  glory.  0  this 
Mount  Sion  !  0  this  heavenly  Jerusalem  !  2  Cor.  v.  1 — 
5  ;  Psal.  xvi.  11  ;  Luke,  xx.  35,  36  ;  Heb.  xii,  12—14. 

Behold,  therefore,  what  a  great  thing  the  Lord  Jesus 
hath  included  by  this  little  word  "  in."  In  this  word  is 
wrapt  up  an  whole  heaven  and  eternal  life  ;  even  as  there 
is  also  by  other  little  words  in  the  holy  Scriptures  of  truth  ; 
as  where  he  saith,  "  Knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto 
you,"  and  the  elect  have  obtained  it.  This  should  teach 
us,  not  only  to  read,  but  to  attend  in  reading  ;  not  only  to 
read,  but  to  lift  up  our  hearts  to  God  in  reading  ;  for  if  we 
be  not  heedful,  if  he  gives  us  not  light  and  understanding, 
we  may  easily  pass  over,  without  any  great  regard,  such  a 
word  as  may  have  a  glorious  kingdom  and  eternal  salva- 
tion in  the  bowels  of  it  :  yea  sometimes,  as  here,  a  whole 
heaven  is  intimated,  where  it  is  not  at  all  expressed.  The 
apostles  of  old  did  use  to  fetch  great  things  out  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, even  out  of  the  very  order  and  timing  of  the  several 
things  contained  therein.  See  Rom.  iv.  9 — 11  ;  Gal.  iii.  16, 
17  ;  Heb.  viii.  13.     But, 

2.  As  we  have  here  an  intimation  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  so  we  have  a  description  of  the  entrance  into  it, 
and  that  by  a  double  similitude  :  1.  It  is  called  a  gate  ;  2. 
A  strait  gate  :  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate." 

1st,  It  is  set  forth  by  the  similitude  of  a  gate.  A  gate, 
you  know,  is  of  a  double  use  ;  it  is  to  open  and  shut,  and  so, 
consequently,  to  let  in  or  to  keep  out  ;  and  to  do  both  these 
at  the  season  ;  as  he  said,  "  Let  not  the  gates  of  Jerusalem 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  215 

be  opened  till  the  sun  be  hot  ;"  and  again,  "  I  commanded 
that  tlie  gate  should  he  shut,  and  charged  that  they  should 
not  he  opened  till  after  the  Sabbath,"  Neh.  vii,  3  ;  xiii.  19, 
20,  And  so  you  find  of  this  gate  of  heaven,  when  the  five 
wise  virgins  came,  the  gate  was  opened,  but  afterwards 
came  the  other  virgins,  and  tlie  door  was  shut,  Matth,  xi. 
So  then  the  entrance  into  heaven  is  called  a  gate,  to  shew 
there  is  a  time  when  tliere  may  be  entrance,  and  there  will 
come  a  time  when  there  shall  be  none  ;  and  indeed  this  is 
a  chief  truth  contained  in  the  text  :  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at 
the  strait  gate  ;  for  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter 
in,  and  shall  not  be  able."  I  "read  in  the  scriptures  of  t-wo 
gates  or  doors,  through  which  the}'  that  go  to  heaven  must 
enter. 

(1.)  There  is  the  door  of  faith,  the  door  which  the  grace 
of  God  hath  opened  to  the  Gentiles  ;  this  door  is  Jesus 
Cbrist,  as  also  himself  doth  testify,  saying,  "  I  am  the  door," 
&c.  Acts,  xiv.  27  ;  John,  x.  9.  By  this  door  men  enter  into 
God's  favour  and  mercy,  and  find  forgiveness  through  faith 
in  his  blood,  and  live  in  hope  of  eternal  life  ;  and  therefore 
liimself  also  said,  "  I  am  the  door,  by  me  if  any  man  enter 
in,  he  sliall  be  saved,"  that  is,  received  to  mercy,  and  in- 
herit eternal  life.     But, 

(2.)  There  is  another  door  or  gate  (for  that  which  is 
called  in  the  text  a  gate,  is  twice  in  the  next  verse  called  a 
door)  ;  there  is,  I  say,  another  gate,  and  that  is  the  passage 
into  the  very  heaven  itself ;  the  entrance  into  the  celestial 
mansion-house,  and  that  is  the  gate  mentioned  in  the  text, 
and  the  door  mentioned  twice  in  the  verse  that  follows. 
And  thus  Jacob  called  it,  when  he  said.  Bethel  was  the 
house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven,  that  is,  tlie 
entrance,  for  he  saw  the  entrance  into  heaven.  One  end  of 
Jacob's  ladder  stands  in  Bethel,  God's  house,  and  the  other 
end  reacheth  up  to  the  ^te  of  heaven,  Gen.  xxviii.  10 — 18. 
Jacob's  ladder  was  the  figure  of  Christ,  which  ladder  was 
not  the  gate  of  heaven,  but  the  way  from  the  Church  to 
that  gate  which  he  saw  above  at  the  top  of  the  ladder,  Gen. 
xxviii.  12  ;  and  John,  i,  51,  But  again,  that  the  gate  in 
the  text  is  the  gate  or  entrance  into  heaven,  consider. 


216  TEE  STRAIT  GATE. 

(1.)  It  is  that  gate  that  lettethnien  into,  or  shutteth  men 
out  of  that  place  or  kingdom  where  Abraham,  and  Isaac, 
and  Jacob  is,  which  place  is  that  paradise  where  Christ 
promised  the  thief,  that  he  should  be  that  day,  that  he 
asked  to  be  with  him  in  his  kingdom  ;  it  is  that  place  into 
which  Paul  said,  he  was  caught,  when  he  heard  words  un- 
lawful or  impossible  for  a  man  to  utter,  Luke,  xiii.  20  ; 
xxiii.  24  ;  2  Cor.  xii.  1 — 6, 

Quest.  But  is  not  Christ  the  gate  or  entrance  into  this 
heavenly  place  ? 

Ans.  He  is  he  without  whom  no  man  can  get  thither, 
because  by  his  merits  men  obtain  that  world,  and  also  be- 
cause he  (as  the  Father)  is  the  donor  and  disposer  of  that 
kingdom  to  whom  he  will.  Farther,  this  place  is  called 
liis  house,  and  himself  the  master  of  it  (when  once  the 
master  of  the  house  is  risen  up,  and  hath  shut  to  the  door, 
ver.  25.)  But  we  use  to  say,  that  the  master  of  the  house 
is  not  the  door.  Men  enter  into  heaven,  then,  by  him,  not 
as  he  is  the  gate,  or  door,  or  entrance,  into  the  celestial 
mansion-house,  but  as  he  is  the  giver  and  disposer  of  that 
kingdom  to  them  whom  he  shall  count  worthy,  because  he 
hath  obtained  it  for  them. 

(2.)  That  this  gate  is  the  very  passage  into  heaven,  con- 
sider the  text  hath  special  reference  to  the  day  of  judgment, 
when  Christ  will  have  laid  aside  his  mediatory  office,  which 
before  he  exercised  for  the  bringing  to  the  faith  his  own 
elect ;  and  will  then  act,  not  as  one  that  justifieth  the  un- 
godly, but  as  one  that  judgeth  sinners.  He  will  now  be 
risen  up  from  the  throne  of  grace,  and  shut  up  the  door 
against  ail  the  impenitent,  and  will  be  set  upon  the  throne 
of  judgment,  from  thence  to  proceed  with  ungodly  sinners. 

Ohj.  But  Christ  bids  strive,  "  Strive  now  to  enter  in  at 
the  strait  gate  ;"  but  if  that  gate  be  as  you  say,  the  gate 
or  entrance  into  heaven,  then  it  should  seem  that  we  should 
not  strive  till  the  day  of  judgment,  for  we  shall  not  come 
at  that  gate  till  then. 

Ans.  Christ,  by  this  exhortation.  Strive,  &c.  doth  not  at 
all  admit  of,  or  countenance  delays,  or  that  a  man  should 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  217 

neglect  his  own  salvation  ;  but  piitteth  poor  creatures  upon 
preparing  for  the  judgment,  and  counselleth  them  now  to 
get  those  things  that  will  then  give  them  entrance  into 
glory.  This  exhortation  is  much  like  these,  "  Be  ye  there- 
fore ready  also,  for  at  such  an  hour  as  you  think  not,  the 
Son  of  Man  cometh  :  and  they  that  were  ready  went  in 
with  him  to  the  marriage,  and  the  door  was  shut,"  Matth, 
xxiv.  44  ;  xxv.  10. 

So  that  when  he  saith,  "  Strive  to  enter  in,"  it  is  as  much 
as  if  he  should  say,  Blessed  are  they  that  shall  be  admitted 
another  day  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  but  they 
that  shall  be  accounted  worthy  of  so  unspeakable  a  favour, 
must  be  well  prepared  and  fitted  for  it  before  hand.  Now, 
the  time  to  be  fitted  is  not  the  day  of  judgment,  but  the  day 
of  grace  ;  not  then,  but  now.  Therefore,  strive  now  for 
those  things  that  will  then  give  you  entrance  into  the 
heavenly  kingdom.     But, 

Idly.  As  it  is  called  a  gate,  so  it  is  called  a  strait  gate  : 
"  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate." 

The  straitness  of  this  gate  is  not  to  be  understood  car- 
nally, but  mystically.  You  are  not  to  understand  it,  as  if 
the  entrance  into  heaven  was  some  little  pinching  wicket ; 
no,  the  straitness  of  this  gate  is  quite  another  thing.  This 
gate  is  wide  enough  for  all  them  that  are  the  truly  gracious 
and  sincere  lovers  of  Jesus  Christ,  but  so  strait,  as  that  not 
one  of  the  other  can  by  any  means  enter  in  :  "  Open  to  me 
the  gates  of  righteousness,  I  will  go  into  them,  and  I  will 
praise  the  Lord,  this  gate  of  the  Lord  into  which  the  right- 
eous shall  enter,"  Psal.  cxviii.  19,  20.  By  this  word, 
therefore,  Christ  Jesus  hath  shewed  unto  us,  that  without 
due  qualifications  there  is  no  possibility  of  entering  into 
heaven  ;  the  strait  gate  will  keep  all  others  out.  When 
Christ  spake  this  parable,  he  had  doubtless  his  eye  upon 
some  passage  or  passages  of  the  Old  Testament,  with  which 
the  Jews  were  well  acquainted.  I  will  mention  two,  and 
so  go  on. 

(1.)  The  pkce  by  which  God  turned  Adam  and  his  wife 
out  of  Paradise.     Possibly  our  Lord  might  have  his  eye 


218  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

upon  that ;  for  though  that  was  wide  enough  for  them  to 
come  out  at,  yet  it  was  too  strait  for  tliem  to  go  in  at. 
But  what  should  be  the  reason  of  that "?  Why,  they  had 
sinned  ;  and  therefore  "  jrod  set  at  the  east  of  that  garden 
cherubims,  and  a  flaming  sword,  turning  every  Avay,  to 
keep  the  way  of  the  tree  of  life"  (Gren.  iii.  24.)  The  cheru- 
bims, and  this  flaming  sword,  they  made  the  entrance  too 
strait  for  them  to  enter  in.  Souls,  there  are  cherubims 
and  a  flaming  sword  at  the  gates  of  heaven  to  keep  the 
way  of  the  tree  of  life  ;  therefore  none  but  them  that  are 
duly  fitted  for  heaven  can  enter  in  at  this  strait  gate  ;  the 
flaming  sword  will  keep  all  others  out.  "  Know  you  not 
that  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ; 
be  not  deceived,  neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  adul- 
terers, nor  eff"eminate,  nor  abusers  of  themselves  with  man- 
kind, nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers, 
nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God" 
(1  Cor.  vi.  9.) 

(2.)  Perhaps  our  Lord  might  have  his  eye  upon  the 
gates  of  the  temple  when  he  spoke  this  word  unto  the 
people  ;  for  though  the  gates  of  the  temple  were  six  cubits 
wide,  yet  they  were  so  strait,  that  none  that  were  unclean 
in  anything  might  enter  in  thereat  (Ezek.  xl.  48),  because 
there  were  placed  at  them  gates,  porters,  whose  office  was 
to  look  that  none  but  those  that  had  right  to  enter,  might 
go  in  thither  :  And  so  it  is  written,  "  Jehoidah  set  porters 
at  the  gates  of  the  house  of  the  Lord,  that  none  that  were 
unclean  in  any  thing  might  enter  in"  (2  Chron.  xxiii.  19). 
Souls,  God  hath  porters  at  the  gates  of  the  temple,  at  the 
gate  of  heaven  ;  porters,  I  say,  placed  there  by  God,  to 
look  that  none  that  are  unclean  in  any  thing  may  come  in 
thither.  In  at  the  gate  of  the  church,  none  may  enter 
now  that  are  open,  profane,  and  scandalous  to  religion  ; 
no,  though  they  plead  they  are  beloved  of  God  :  "  AVhat 
hath  my  beloved  to  do  in  mine  house  (saith  the  Lord), 
seeing  she  hath  wrought  lewdness  with  many?"  (Jer. 
xi.  15.) 

I  say,  I  am  very  apt  to  believe  that  our  Lord  Jesus 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  219 

Christ  had  his  thoughts  upon  these  two  texts,  when  he 
said,  The  gate  is  strait :  and  that  which  confirms  me  the 
more  in  the  thing  is  this,  a  little  below  the  text,  he  saith, 
"  There  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  when  you 
shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  pro- 
phets, in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  you  yourselves  thrust 
out"  (verse  28.)  Thrust  out,  which  signifieth  a  violent 
act,  resisting  with  striving  those  that  would  (though  un- 
qualified) enter :  The  porters  of  the  temple  were,  for  this 
very  thing,  to  wear  arms,  if  need  were,  and  to  be  men  of 
courage  and  strength,  lest  the  unsanctified  or  unprepared 
should  by  some  means  enter  in.  We  read,  in  the  book  of 
Revelations,  of  the  holy  city,  and  that  it  had  twelve  gates, 
and  at  the  gates  twelve  angels  ;  but  what  did  they  do 
there  ?  Why,  amongst  the  rest  of  their  service,  this  was 
one  thing,  that  there  might  in  nowise  enter  in  any  thing 
til  at  defiieth,  or  worketh  abomination,  and  that  maketh  a 
lie,  Rev.  xxi.  12,  21. 

But  more  particularly,  to  shew  what  it  is  that  maketh 
this  gate  so  strait :  There  are  three  things  that  maketh 
it  strait.  1.  There  is  sin.  2.  There  is  the  word  of  the  law. 
3.  There  are  the  angels  of  God. 

1st,  There  is  sm  ;  the  sin  of  the  profane,  and  the  sin  of 
the  professor. 

(1.)  The  sin  of  the  profane.  But  this  needs  not  be  en- 
larged upon,  because  it  is  concluded  upon  at  all  hands,  where 
there  is  the  common  belief  of  the  being  of  God,  and  the 
judgment  to  come,  that  "  the  wicked  shall  be  turned  into 
hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God,"  Ps.  ix.  17. 

(2.)  But  there  is  the  sin  of  professors  ;  or  take  it  rather 
thus,  there  is  a  profession  that  will  stand  with  an  unsanc- 
tified heart  and  life.  The  sin  of  such  will  overpoise  the 
salvation  of  their  souls,  the  sin-end  being  the  heaviest  end 
of  the  scale  ;  I  say,  that  being  the  heaviest  end  which  hath 
sin  in  it,  they  tilt  over,  and  so  are,  notwithstanding  their 
glorious  profession,  drowned  in  perdition  and  destruction ; 
"  for  none  such  hath  any  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  and  of  God  ;  therefore  let  no  man  deceive  you  with 


220  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

vain  words,  for  because  of  these  things  comes  the  wa-ath  of 
God  upon  the  chikiren  of  disobedience  ;"  neither  will  a  pro- 
fession be  able  to  excuse  them,  Eph.  v.  3-6.  The  gate  will 
be  too  strait  for  such  as  these  to  enter  in  thereat.  A  man 
may  partake  of  salvation  in  part,  but  not  of  salvation  in 
whole.  God  saved  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  but 
overthrew  them  in  the  wilderness  : — "  I  will  therefore  put 
you  in  remembrance,  though  you  once  knew  this,  how  that 
the  Lord  having  saved  the  people  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
afterwards  destroyed  them  that  believed  not."  So  we  see 
that  (notwithstanding  their  beginning)  "  they  could  not 
enter  in,  because  of  unbelief,"  Jude,  5  ;  Heb.  iii.  19. 

2dli/,  There  is  the  word  of  the  law,  and  that  will  make 
the  gate  strait  also,  None  must  go  in  thereat  but  those 
that  can  go  in  by  the  leave  of  the  law  ;  for  though  no  man 
be,  or  can  be,  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  yet  unless 
the  righteousness  and  holiness  by  whicli  they  attempt  to 
enter  into  this  kingdom  be  justified  by  the  law,  it  is  in 
vain  once  to  think  of  entering  in  at  this  stait  gate.  Now 
the  law  justifieth  not,  but  upon  the  account  of  Christ's 
righteousness  ;  if  therefore  thou  be  not  indeed  found  in  that 
righteousness,  thou  wilt  find  the  law  lie  just  in  the  passage 
into  heaven  to  keep  thee  out.  Every  man's  work  must  be 
tried  by  fire,  that  it  may  be  manifest  of  wliat  sort  it  is. 
There  are  two  errors  in  the  world  about  the  law  ;  one  is, 
when  men  think  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  by  the  right- 
eousness of  the  law  ;  the  other  is,  when  men  think  they 
may  enter  into  heaven  without  the  leave  of  the  law.  Both 
these,  I  say,  are  errors  ;  for  as  by  the  works  of  the  law  no 
flesh  shall  be  justified  ;  so  without  the  consent  of  the  law, 
no  flesh  shall  be  saved,  "  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass 
away,  before  one  jot  or  tittle  of  the  law  shall  fail,  till  all 
be  fulfilled."  He  therefore  must  be  damned  that  cannot 
be  saved  by  the  consent  of  the  law.  And,  indeed,  this  law 
is  the  flaming  sword  that  turneth  every  way  ;  yea,  that 
lieth  to  this  day  in  the  way  to  heaven,  for  a  bar  to  all 
unbelievers  and  unsanctified  professors  ;  for  it  is  taken  out 
of  the  way  for  the  truly  gracious  only.     It  will  be  found 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  221 

as  a  roaring  lion  to  devour  all  others.  Because  of  the  law, 
therefore,  the  gate  will  he  found  too  strait  for  the  unsanc- 
titied  to  enter  in.  When  the  apostle  had  told  the  Corinthians 
that  the  unrighteous  should  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  that  such  were  some  of  them,  he  adds,  "  But  ye 
are  washed,  but  ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified,  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God," 
1  Cor.  vi.  9-11  ;  closely  concluding,  that  had  they  not  been 
washed,  and  sanctified,  and  justified,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus,  the  law,  for  their  transgressions,  would  have 
kept  them  out ;  it  would  have  made  the  gate  too  strait  for 
them  to  enter  in. 

Sc/Zy,  There  are  also  the  angels  of  God,  and  by  reason  of 
them  the  gate  is  strait.  The  Lord  Jesus  calleth  the  end  of 
the  world  his  harvest ;  and  saith,  moreover,  that  the  angels 
are  his  reapers.  These  angels  are  therefore  to  gather  his 
wheat  into  his  barn,  but  to  gather  the  ungodly  into  bundles 
to  burn  them.  Matt.  xiii.  39,  41,  49.  Unless,  therefore, 
the  man  that  is  unsanctified  can  master  the  law,  and  con- 
quer angels  ;  unless  he  can,  as  I  may  say,  pull  them  out 
of  the  gate-way  of  heaven,  himself  is  not  to  come  thither 
for  ever.  No  man  goeth  to  heaven  but  by  the  help  of  the 
angels — I  mean  at  the  day  of  judgment  :  "  For  the  Son  of 
man  shall  sen-d  forth  his  angels  with  a  great  sound  of  a 
trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the 
four  winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other."  If  those 
that  shall  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  shall  only  enter  in 
thither  by  the  conduct  of  the  holy  angels,  pray  when  do 
you  think  those  men  will  enter  in  thither,  concerning 
whom  the  angels  are  commanded  to  gather  them,  to  bind 
them  in  bundles,  to  burn  them  ?  This,  therefore,  is  a  third 
difficulty  :  The  angels  will  make  this  entrance  strait ;  yea, 
too  strait  for  the  unjustified  and  unsanctified  to  enter  in 
thither. 

3.  I  come  now  to  the  exhortation,  which  is,  to  strive  to 
enter  in  :  "  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate."  These 
words  are  fitly  added  ;  for  since  the  gate  is  strait,  it  follows 
that  they  who  will  enter  in  must  strive. 


222  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

"Strive."  This  word  strive  siipposeth,  1.  That  great  idle- 
ness is  natural  to  professors  ;  they  think  to  get  to  heaven  by 
lying,  as  it  were,  on  their  elbows.  2.  It  also  suggesteth, 
that  many  will  be  the  difficulties  that  professors  will  meet 
with  before  they  get  to  heaven.  3.  It  also  concludeth,  that 
only  the  labouring  Christian,  man  or  woman,  will  get  in 
thither.     "  Strive,''  &c. 

Three  questions  I  will  propound  upon  the  word,  an  an- 
swer to  which  may  give  us  light  into  the  meaning  of  it : 

1.  What  doth  the  word  strive  import  1     2.  How  should  we 
strive  '?     3.  Why  should  we  strive  1 

1st,  What  doth  this  word  strive  import  1 

Ans.  When  he  saith,  Strive,  it  is  as  much  as  to  say,  bend 
yourselves  to  the  work  with  all  your  might :  "  Whatso- 
ever thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  all  thy  might ;  for 
there  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom 
in  the  grave,  whither  thou  goest,"  Eccl.  ix.  10.  Thus 
Samson  did  when  he  set  himself  to  destroy  the  Philistines, 
he  bowed  himself  with  all  his  might,  Judges,  xvi.  30. 
Thus  David  did  also,  when  he  made  provision  for  the  build- 
ing and  beautifying  of  the  temple  of  God,  1  Chron.  xxix. 

2.  And   thus   must  thou  do,   if  ever  thou  enterest  into 
heaven. 

'idly,  When  he  saith.  Strive,  he  calleth  for  the  mind  and 
will,  that  they  should  be  on  his  side,  and  on  the  side  of  the 
things  of  his  kingdom  ;  for  none  strive  indeed,  but  such  as 
have  given  the  son  of  God  their  heart,  of  which  their  mind 
and  will  are  a  principal  part ;  for  saving  conversion  lieth 
more  in  the  turning  of  the  mind  and  will  to  Christ,  and  to 
the  love  of  his  heavenly  things,  than  in  all  knowledge  and 
judgment.  And  this  the  apostle  confirmeth,  when  he  saith, 
"  Stand  fast  in  one  spirit,  with  one  mind,  striving,"  &c. 
Phil.  i.  27. 

(3.)  And,  more  particularly,  this  word  strive  is  expressed 
by  several  other  terms  ;  as,  1.  it  is  expressed  by  that  word, 
"  So  run  that  you  may  obtain,"  1  Cor.  ix.  24,  25.  2.  It  is 
expressed  by  that  word,  "  Fight  the  good  fight  of  faith, 
lay  hold  of  eternal  life,"  1  Tim.  vi.  12.     3.  It  is  expressed 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  223 

by  that  word,  "  Labour  not  for  the  meat  that  perisheth, 
but  for  that  meat  that  endureth  to  everlasting  life,"  John, 
vi.  27.  4.  It  is  expressed  hy  that  word,  "  We  wrestle  with 
principalities  and  powers,  and  the  rulers  of  the  darkness 
of  this  world,"  Eph.  vi,  12.  Therefore,  when  he  saith, 
strive,  it  is  as  much  as  to  say,  Run  for  heaven,  fight  for 
heaven,  labour  for  heaven,  wrestle  for  heaven,  or  you  are 
like  to  go  without  it. 

The  second  question  is,  How  should  we  strive  ? 

A71S,  The  answer  in  general  is,  Thou  must  strive  law- 
fully :  "  And  if  a  man  also  strive  for  the  mastery,  yet  is  he 
not  crowned,  except  he  strive  lawfully,"  2  Tim.  vi. 

But  you  will  say,  AVhat  is  it  to  strive  lawfully  1 

Ans.  (1.)  To  strive  against  the  things  which  are  abhorred 
by  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  yea,  to  resist  to  the  spilling  of  your 
blood,  striving  against  sin,  Heb.  xiu  4.  To  have  all  those 
things  that  are  condemned  by  the  word  ;  yea,  though  they 
be  thine  own  right  hand,  right  eye,  or  right  foot,  in  abo- 
mination ;  and  to  seek  by  all  godly  means  the  utter  sup- 
pressing of  them,  Mark,  ix.  43,  45,  47. 

(2.)  To  strive  lawfully,  is  to  strive  for  those  things  that 
are  commanded  in  the  word.  But  thou,  0  man  of  God, 
fly  the  world,  and  follow  after  ;  that  is,  strive  for  righteous- 
ness, godliness,  faith,  love,  patience,  meekness,  fight  the 
good  fight  of  faith,  lay  hold  on  eternal  life,  &c.,  1  Tim.  vi. 
11,  12. 

(3.)  He  that  striveth  lawfully,  must  be  therefore  very 
temperate  in  all  the  good  and  lawful  things  of  this  life. 
And  every  one  that  striveth  for  the  mastery,  is  temperate 
in  all  things ;  now  they  do  it  to  obtain  a  corruptible  crown ; 
but  we  an  incorruptible,  1  Cor,  ix.  25.  Most  professors 
give  leave  to  the  world,  and  vanity  of  their  hearts,  to  close 
with  them,  and  to  hang  about  their  necks,  and  make  their 
striving  to  stand  rather  in  an  outcry  of  words,  than  a 
hearty  labour  against  the  lusts  and  love  of  the  world,  and 
their  own  coiTuptions ;  but  this  kind  of  striving  is  but  a 
beating  of  the  air,  and  will  come  to  just  nothing  at  last, 
1  Cor.  ix.  26. 


224 


THE  STRAIT  GATE. 


(4.)  He  that  striveth  lawfully,  must  take  God  and  Christ 
along  with  him  to  the  work,  otherwise  he  will  certainly 
be  undone  :  "  AVhereunto  (said  Paul)  I  also  labour,  striv- 
ing according  to  his  working,  which  worketh  in  me  might- 
ily," Col.  i.  29.  And  for  the  right  performing  of  this,  he 
must  observe  these  following  particulars  : — 

(1.)  He  must  take  heed  that  he  doth  not  strive  about 
things,  or  words,  to  no  profit ;  for  God  will  not  then  be  with 
him.  "  Of  these  things  (saith  the  apostle)  put  them  in  re- 
membrance ;  charging  them  before  the  Lord,  that  they 
strive  not  about  words  to  no  profit,  but  to  the  subverting  of 
the  heai^ers,"  1  Tim.  ii.  14.  But,  alas!  how  many  profes- 
sors in  our  days  are  guilty  of  this  transgression,  whose 
religion  stands  chiefly,  if  not  only,  in  a  few  unprofitable 
questions,  and  vain  wranglings,  about  words  and  things  to 
no  profit,  but  to  the  destruction  of  the  hearers  ! 

(2.)  He  must  take  heed  that  whilst  he  strives  against 
one  sin,  he  does  not  harbour  and  shelter  another  ;  or  that 
whilst  he  cries  out  against  other  men's  sins,  he  does  not 
countenance  his  own. 

(3.)  In  the  striving,  strive  to  believe,  strive  for  the  faith 
of  the  gospel ;  for  the  more  we  believe  the  gospel,  and  the 
reality  of  the  things  of  the  world  to  come,  with  the  more 
stomach  and  courage  shall  we  labour  to  possess  the  blessed- 
ness, Phil.  i.  27  ;  Heb.  iv.  Let  us  labour  therefore  to  enter 
into  that  rest,  lest  any  man  fall  after  the  same  example  of 
unbelief. 

(4.)  As  we  should  strive  for,  and  by  faith,  so  we  should 
strive  by  prayer  (Rom.  xv,  30),  by  fervent  and  effectual 
prayers.  0  the  swarms  of  our  prayerless  professors  !  What 
do  they  think  of  themselves  ?  Surely  the  gate  of  heaven 
was  heretofore  as  wide  as  in  these  our  days  ;  but  what 
striving  by  prayer  w^as  there  then  among  Christians  for 
the  thing  that  gives  admittance  into  this  kingdom,  over 
there  is  in  these  latter  days ! 

(5.)  We  should  also  strive  by  mortifying  our  members 
that  are  upon  the  earth  :  "  I  therefore  so  run  (said  Paul), 
80  fight  I,  not  as  one  that  beats  the  air  ;  but  I  keep  under 


TlIF  STRAIT  GATE.  225 

my  body,  and  bring  it  into  subjection,  lest  that  by  any 
means,  when  I  have  preached  the  gospel  to  others,  1  my- 
self should  be  a  cast-a^Yay,"  1  Cor.  ix.  27.  But  all  this  is 
spoken  principally  to  professors  ;  so  I  would  be  under- 
stood. 

I  come  now  to  the  third  question,  namely.  But  why 
should  we  strive  ? 

A71S.  (1.)  Because  the  thing  for  which  you  are  here  ex- 
horted to  strive,  it  is  worth  the  striving  for;  it  is  for  no  less 
than  for  a  whole  heaven,  and  an  eternity  of  felicity  there. 
How  will  m'en  that  have  before  them  a  little  honour,  a  little 
profit,  a  little  pleasure,  strive  ?  I  say  again,  how  will  they 
strive  for  this  ?  Now,  they  do  it  for  a  corruptible  crown, 
but  we  an  incorruptible.  Methinks  this  word  heaven,  and 
this  eternal  life,  what  is  there  again  either  in  heaven  or 
earth  like  them  to  provoke  a  man  to  strive  1 

(2.)  Strive,  because  otherwise  the  devil  and  hell  will 
assuredly  have  thee :  "  He  goes  about  like  a  roaring  lion, 
seeking  whom  he  may  devour,"  1  Pet.  v.  8.  These  fallen 
angels,  they  are  always  watchful,  diligent,  unwearied ;  they 
are  also  mighty,  subtile,  and  malicious,  seeking  nothing 
more  than  the  damnation  of  thy  soul.  Oh,  thou  that  art 
like  the  heartless  dove,  strive  ! 

(3.)  Strive,  because  every  lust  strives  and  wars  against 
thy  soul.  The  flesh  lusteth  against  the  spirit :  "  Dearly 
beloved,  I  beseech  you  (said  Peter),  as  strangers  and  pil- 
grims, abstain  from  fleshly  lusts,  which  war  against  the 
soul,"  Gal.  V.  17.  It  is  a  rare  thing  to  see  or  find  out  a 
Christian  that  indeed  can  bridle  his  lusts  ;  but  no  strange 
thing  to  see  such  professors  that  are  not  only  bridled,  but 
saddled  too,  yea,  and  ridden  from  lust  to  sin,  from  one 
vanity  to  another,  by  the  very  devil  himself,  and  the  cor- 
ruptions of  their  hearts, 

(4.)  Strive,  because  thou  hast  a  whole  world  against  thee. 
The  world  hateth  thee  if  thou  be  a  Christian  ;  the  men 
of  the  world  hate  thee  ;  the  things  of  the  world  are  snares 
for  thee,  even  thy  bed  and  table,  thy  wife  and  husband, 
yea,  thy  most  lawful  enjoyments,  have  that  in  them  that 


226  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

will  certainly  sink  thy  soul  to  hell,  if  thou  dost  not  strive 
against  the  snares  that  are  in  them,  Rom.  xi.  9. 

The  world  will  seek  to  keep  thee  out  of  heaven  with 
mocks,  flouts,  taunts,  threatenings,  gaols,  gibbets,  halters, 
burnings,  and  a  thousand  deaths ;  therefore  strive.  Again, 
if  it  cannot  overcome  thee  with  these,  it  will  flatter,  pro- 
mise, allure,  entice,  entreat,  and  use  a  thousand  tricks  on 
this  hand  to  destroy  thee  ;  and  observe,  many  that  have 
been  stout  against  the  threats  of  the  world,  have  yet  been 
overcome  with  the  bewitching  flatteries  of  the  same.  There 
ever  was  enmity  between  the  devil  and  the  church,  and 
betwixt  his  seed  and  her  seed  too  ;  Michael  and  his  angels, 
and  the  dragon  and  his  angels,  these  make  war  continually. 
Gen,  iii. ;  Rev.  xii.  There  hath  been  great  desires  and  en- 
deavours among  men  to  reconcile  these  two  in  one,  to  wit, 
the  seed  of  the  serpent  and  the  seed  of  the  woman  ;  but  it 
could  never  yet  be  accomplished.  The  world  says,  they  will 
never  come  over  to  us  ;  and  we  again  say,  by  God's  grace, 
w^e  will  never  come  over  to  them.  But  the  business  hath 
not  ended  in  words ;  both  they  and  we  have  also  added  our 
endeavours  to  make  each  other  submit ;  but  endeavours 
have  proved  ineffectual  too.  The}",  for  their  part,  have 
devised  all  manner  of  cruel  torments  to  make  us  submit ; 
as,  slaying  with  the  sword,  stoning,  sawing  asunder,  flames, 
wild  beasts,  banishments,  hunger,  and  a  thousand  mise- 
ries. We  again,  on  the  other  side,  have  laboured  by  prayers 
and  tears,  by  patience  and  long-suffering,  by  gentleness  and 
love,  by  sound  doctrine,  and  faithful  witness-bearing  against 
their  enormities,  to  bring  them  over  to  us  ;  but  yet  the 
enmity  remains :  so  that  they  nmst  conquer  us,  or  we  must 
conquer  them.  One  side  must  be  overcome  ;  but  the  wea- 
pons of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but  mighty  through 
God. 

(5.)  Strive,  because  there  is  nothing  of  Christianity  got 
by  idleness  :  "  Idleness  clothes  a  man  with  rags,  and  the 
vineyard  of  the  slothful  is  grown  over  with  nettles,"  Prov. 
xxiii.  21  ;  xxiv.  30-32.  Profession  that  is  not  attended 
with  spiritual  labour  cannot  bring  the  soul  to  heaven.  The 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  227 

fathers  before  us  were  not  slothful  in  business,  but  fervent 
in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord  :  "  Therefore  be  not  slothful, 
but  followers  of  them  who  through  fiiith  and  patience  in- 
herit the  promises,"  Rom.  xii.  11 ;  Heb.  vi.  12. 

"  Strive  to  enter  in."     Methinks  the  words,  at  the  first 
reading,  do  intimate  to  us,  that  the  Christian,  in  all  that 
ever  he  does  in  this  world,  should  carefully  heed  and  re- 
gard his  soul, — I  say,  in  all  that  ever  he  does.  Many  are  for 
their  souls  by  fits  and  starts ;  but  a  Christian  indeed,  in  all 
his  doing  and  designs  which  he  contriveth  and  manageth 
in  this  world,  should  have  a  special  eye  to  his  own  future 
and  everlasting  good  ;  in  all  his  labours  he  should  strive  to 
enter  in  :  "  Wisdom  (Christ)  is  the  principal  thing  ;  there- 
fore get  wisdom,  and  in  all  thy  gettings  get  understanding," 
Prov.  iv.  7.     Get  nothing,  if  thou  canst  not  get  Christ  and 
grace,  and  further  hopes  of  heaven  in  that  getting  ;  get 
nothing  witli  a  bad  conscience,  with  the  hazard  of  thy  peace 
with  God,  and  that  in  getting  it  thou  weakenest  thy  graces 
which  God  hath  given  thee  ;   for  this  is  not  to  strive  to 
enter  in.  Add  grace  to  grace,  both  by  religious  and  worldly 
duties  ;  for  so  an  entrance  shall  be  ministered  unto  you 
abundantly  into  the  everlasting  kingdom  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  2  Pet.  i.  8-12.     Religious  duties  are 
not  the  only  striving  times ;  he  that  thinks  so  is  out.   Thou 
mayest  help  thy  faith  and  thy  hope,  in  the  godly  manage- 
ment of  thy  calling,   and  mayest  get  farther  footing  in 
eternal  life,  by  studying  the  glory  of  God  in  all  thy  worldly 
employment.     I  am  speaking  now  to  Christians  that  are 
justified  freely  by  grace  ;  and  am  encouraging,  or  rather 
counselling  them  to  strive  t£)  enter  in ;  for  there  is  an  enter- 
ing in  by  faith  and  good  conscience  now,  as  well  as  our 
entering  in  body  and  soul  hereafter  ;  and  I  must  add,  that 
the  more  common  it  is  to  thy  soul  to  enter  in  now  by  faith, 
the  more  steadfast  hope  shalt  thou  have  of  entering  in  here- 
after in  body  and  soul. 

"  Strive  to  enter  in."  By  these  words  also  the  Lord  Jesus 
giveth  sharp  rebuke  to  those  professors  that  have  not  eternal 
glory,  but  other  temporal  things  in  their  eve,  by  all  the 


228  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

bustle  that  they  make  in  the  world  about  religion.  Some 
there  be,  what  a  stir  they  make,  what  a  noise  and  clamour, 
with  their  notions  and  forms,  and  yet  perhaps  all  is  for  the 
loaves ;  because  they  have  eaten  of  the  loaves,  and  are  tilled, 
John,  vi.  26.  They  strive  indeed  to  enter,  but  it  is  not  into 
heaven  :  they  find  religion  hath  a  good  trade  at  the  end  of 
it ;  or  they  find  that  it  is  the  way  to  credit,  repute,  prefer- 
ment, and  the  like  ;  and  therefore  they  strive  to  enter  into 
these.  But  these  have  not  the  strait  gate  in  their  eye,  nor 
yet  in  themselves  have  they  love  to  their  poor  and  perish- 
ing souls ;  wherefore  this  exhortation  nippeth  such,  by 
predicting  of  their  damnation. 

"  Strive  to  enter  in."  These  words  also  sharply  rebuke 
them  who  content  themselves  as  the  angel  of  the  church  of 
Sardis  did,  to  wit,  "  To  have  a  name  to  live,  and  be  dead," 
Rev.  iii.  1,  or  as  they  of  the  Laodiceans,  who  took  their 
religion  upon  trust,  and  was  content  with  a  poor,  wretched, 
lukewarm  profession  :  for  such  as  these  do  altogether  un- 
like to  the  exhortation  in  the  text,  that  says,  Strive  ;  and 
they  sit  and  sleep  ;  that  says.  Strive  to  enter  in,  and  they 
content  themselves  with  a  profession  that  is  never  like  to 
bring  them  thither. 

"  Strive  to  enter  in."  Further,  these  words  put  us  upon 
proving  the  truth  of  our  graces  now^ ;  I  say,  they  put  us 
upon  the  proof  of  the  truth  of  them  now  ;  for  if  the  strait 
gate  be  the  gate  of  heaven,  and  yet  we  are  to  strive  to  enter 
into  it  now,  even  while  we  live,  and  before  we  come  thither, 
then,  doubtless,  Christ  means  by  this  exhortation,  that  we 
should  use  all  lawful  means  to  prove  our  graces  in  this 
world,  whether  they  will  stand  in  the  judgment  or  no. 
Strive  to  enter  in  ;  get  those  graces  now  that  will  prove 
true  graces  then  ;  and  therefore  try  them  you  have  ;  and  if, 
upon  trial,  they  prove  not  right,  cast  them  away,  and  cry 
for  better,  lest  they  cast  thee  away,  when  better  are  not  to 
be  had.  "  Buy  of  me  gold  tried  in  the  fire  :"  mark  that, 
Rev.  iii.  18.  Buy  of  me  faith  and  grace  that  will  stand  in 
the  judgment ;  strive  for  that  faith;  buy  of  me  that  grace, 
and  also  white  raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  that 


THE  STRAIT  GATR.  229 

the  shame  of  thy  wickedness  doth  not  appear,  and  anoint 
thine  eyes  with  eye-salve,  that  thou  niayest  see.  Mind  you 
this  advice  ;  this  is  right  striving  to  enter  in. 

But  you  will  say.  How  should  we  try  our  graces  ?  Would 
you  have  us  run  into  temptation  to  try  if  they  he  sound  or 
rotten  1 

Ans.  You  need  not  run  into  trials  ;  God  hath  ordained 
that  enough  of  them  shall  overtake  thee  to  prove  thy 
graces  either  rotten  or  sound  before  the  day  of  thy  death  : 
sufficient  to  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof,  if  thou  hast  but  a 
sufficiency  of  grace  to  withstand.  I  say,  thou  shalt  have 
trials  enough  overtake  thee,  to  prove  thy  graces  sound  or 
rotten.  Thou  mayest,  therefore,  if  God  shall  help  thee,  see 
how  it  is  like  to  go  with  thee  before  thou  goest  out  of  this 
world  ;  to  wit,  whether  thy  graces  be  such  as  will  carry 
thee  in  at  the  gates  of  heaven  or  no. 

But  how  should  we  try  our  graces  now  1 

Ans.  How  dost  thou  find  them  in  outward  trials  1  See 
Heb.  xi.  15,  16.  How  dost  thou  find  thyself  in  the  inward 
workings  of  sin  1  Rom.  vii.  24.  How  dost  thou  find  thy- 
self under  the  most  high  enjoyment  of  grace  in  this  world  1 
Phil.  iii.  14. 

But  what  do  you  mean  by  these  three  questions  1 

Atis.  I  mean  graces  shew  themselves  at  these  their  sea- 
sons, whether  they  be  rotten  or  sound. 

How  do  they  shew  themselves  to  be  true  under  the  first 
of  these  ? 

Ans.  By  mistrusting  our  own  sufficiency,  by  crying  to 
God  for  help,  by  desiring  rather  to  die  than  to  bring  any 
dishonour  to  the  name  of  God,  and  by  counting,  that  if  God 
be  honoured  in  the  trial,  thou  hast  gained  more  than  all 
the  world  could  give  thee,  2  Chron.  xx.  12 ;  xiv.  11  ;  Acts, 
iv. ;  XX.  22  ;  2  Cor.  iv.  17,  18  ;  Heb.  xi.  24,  25. 

How  do  they  shew  themselves  to  be  true  under  the 
second  ? 

A'ns.  By  mourning,  and  confessing,  and  striving,  and 
praying,  against  them  ;  ])y  not  being  content,  sliouldst  thou 
have  heaven,  if  they  live,  and  defile  thee ;  and  by  counting 


230  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

of  holiness  the  greatest  heauty  in  the  world ;  and  hy  flying 
to  Jesus  Christ  for  life,  Zech.  xii.  10 ;  John,  xix, ;  Heb.  xii. 
4  ;  Psal.  xix.  12. 

How  do  they  shew  themselves  to  be  true  under  the  third  1 

Ans.  By  prizing  the  true  graces  above  all  the  world, — by 
praying  heartily  that  God  will  give  thee  more, — by  not  being 
content  with  all  the  grace  thou  canst  be  capable  of  enjoy- 
ing on  this  side  heaven  and  glory,  Psal.  Ixxxiv.  10  ;  Luke, 
xvii.  5  ;  Philip,  iii. 

"  Strive  to  enter  in."  The  reason  why  Christ  addeth 
these  words,  to  enter  in,  is  obvious,  to  wit,  because  there  is 
no  true  and  lasting  happiness  on  this  side  heaven  ;  I  say, 
none  that  is  both  true  and  lasting,  I  mean  as  to  our  sense 
and  feeling,  as  there  shall  ;  for  here  have  we  no  continuing 
city,  but  we  seek  one  to  come,  Heb.  xiii.  14.  The  heaven  is 
within  ;  strive  therefore  to  enter  in  :  the  glory  is  within  ; 
strive  therefore  to  enter  in  :  the  JMount  Sion  is  within  ; 
strive  therefore  to  enter  in  :  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  is 
within  ;  strive  therefore  to  enter  in  :  angels  and  saints  are 
within  ;  strive  therefore  to  enter  in  :  and  to  make  up  all, 
the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  that 
glorious  Redeemer,  is  within  ;  strive  therefore  to  enter  in. 

"  Strive  to  enter  in."  For  without  are  dogs,  sorcerers, 
and  whoremongers,  and  murderers,  and  idolaters,  and  who  - 
soever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie.  Without  are  also  the 
devils,  and  hell,  and  death,  and  all  damned  souls  ;  without 
is  howling,  weeping,  wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth  ;  yea, 
without  are  all  the  miseries,  sorrows,  and  plagues  that  an 
infinite  God  can  in  justice  and  power  inflict  upon  an  evil 
and  wicked  generation  :  "  Strive  therefore  to  enter  in  at  the 
strait  gate,"  Rev.  xxii.  15  ;  Matth.  xxv.  41  ;  Rev.  xii.  9  ; 
Isa.  Ixv.  13,  14  ;  Matth.  xxii.  13  ;  Deut.  xxix.  18-20. 

"  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  ;  for  many,  I  say 
unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 

4.  We  are  now  come  to  the  motive  which  our  Lord  urges 
to  inforce  his  exhortation. 

He  told  us  before,  that  the  gate  was  strait ;  he  also 
exhorted  us  to  strive  to  enter  in  thereat,  or  to  get  those 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  231 

things  now  that  will  further  our  entrance  then,  and  to  set 
ourselves  against  those  things  that  will  hinder  our  entering 
in. 

In  this  motive  there  are  five  things  to  he  minded. 

(1.)  That  there  will  be  a  disappointment  to  some  at  the 
day  of  judgment, — they  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not 
be  able. 

(2.)  That  not  a  few,  but  many,  will  meet  with  this  dis- 
appointment ;  "  for  many  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall 
not  be  able." 

(3.)  This  doctrine  of  the  miscan-iage  of  many  then,  it 
standeth  upon  the  validity  of  the  word  of  Christ :  "  For 
many,  I  say,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.'' 

(4.)  Professors  shall  make  a  great  heap  among  the  many 
that  shall  fall  short  of  heaven.  "  For  many,  I  say  imto 
you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 

(5.)  Where  grace  and  striving  are  wanting  now,  seeking 
and  contending  to  enter  in  will  be  unprofitable  then  :  "  For 
many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not 
be  able." 

But  I  will  proceed  in  my  former  method  ;  to  wit,  to  open 
the  words  unto  you, 

"  For  many,"  &c.  If  he  had  said.  For  some  will  fall 
short ;  it  had  been  a  sentence  to  be  minded  ;  if  he  had  said, 
For  some  that  seek  will  fall  short,  it  had  been  very 
awakening  :  but  when  he  saith.  Many,  many  will  fall 
short,  yea,  many  among  professors  will  fall  short ;  this  is 
not  only  awakening,  but  dreadful. 

"  For  many,"  &c.  I  find  this  word  many  variously 
applied  in  Scripture. 

(1.)  Sometimes  it  intendeth  the  open  profime,  the  wicked 
and  ungodly  world,  as  where  Christ  saith,  "  Wide  is  the 
gate,  and  broad  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and 
many  there  be  that  go  in  thereat,"  Matth.  vii.  13.  I  say, 
by  the  many  here,  he  intends  those  chiefly  that  go  on  in 
the  broad  way  of  sin  and  profaneness,  bearing  the  tokens 
of  their  damnation  in  their  foreheads, — those  whose  daily 
practice  proclaims,  "  that  their  feet  go  down  to  death,  and 


232  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

their  steps  take  hold  of  hell,"  Job,  xxi.  29,  30  ;  Isa.  iii.  9  ; 
Prov.  iv. 

(2.)  Sometimes  this  word  many  intendeth  those  that 
cleave  to  the  peojile  of  God  deceitfully,  and  in  hypocrisy, 
or,  as  Daniel  hath  it,  "  INIany  shall  cleave  unto  the  church 
with  flatteries,"  Dan.  xi.  34.  The  word  many  in  this  text 
inchideth  all  those  who  feign  themselves  better  than  they 
are  in  religion  ;  it  includeth,  I  say,  those  that  have  religion 
only,  for  an  holy-day  saint  to  set  them  out  at  certain  times, 
and  when  they  come  among  suitable  company. 

(3.)  Sometimes  this  word  many  intendeth  them  that 
apostatize  from  Christ  ;  such  as  for  awhile  believe,  and  in 
time  of  temptation  fall  away,  as  John  saith  of  some  of 
Christ's  disciples  :  "  From  that  time  many  of  his  disciples 
went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with  him,"  John,  vi.  65. 

(4.)  Sometimes  this  word  many  intendeth  them  that 
make  a  great  noise,  and  do  many  great  things  in  the  church, 
and  yet  want  saving  grace  :  "  INIany  (saith  Christ)  will  say 
unto  me  in  that  day.  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied 
in  thy  name,  and  in  thy  name  cast  out  devils,  and  in  thy 
name  done  many  wonderful  works  V  Mark,  there  will  be 
many  of  these. 

(5.)  Sometimes  this  word  many  intendeth  those  poor 
ignorant  deluded  souls  that  are  led  away  with  every  wind 
of  doctrine  ;  those  who  are  caught  with  the  cunning  and 
crafty  deceiver,  who  lieth  in  wait  to  beguile  unstable  souls  : 
"  And  many  shall  follow  their  pernicious  ways,  by  reason 
of  whom  the  way  of  truth  shall  be  evil  spoken  of,"  2  Pet. 
ii.  2. 

(6.)  Sometimes  this  word  many  includeth  all  the  world, 
good  and  bad  :  "  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust 
of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some 
to  everlasting  shame  and  contempt,"  Dan.  xii.  2  ;  compare 
with  John.  v.  28,  29. 

(7.)  Lastli/,  Sometimes  this  word  many  intendeth  the  good 
only :  "  Even  them  that  shall  be  saved,"  Luke,  i.  10 ;  ii.  34. 

Since  then  that  the  word  is  so  variously  applied,  let  us 
inquire  how  it  must  be  taken  in  the  text.     And, 


THE  STRAIT  GATE,  233 

(1.)  It  must  not  be  applied  to  the  sincerely  godly,  for 
they  shall  never  perish,  John,  x.  27,  28.  (2.)  It  cannot  he 
applied  to  all  the  world,  for  then  no  flesh  should  he  saved. 
(3.)  Neither  is  it  to  be  applied  to  the  open  profane  only, 
for  then  the  hypocrite  is  by  it  excluded.  (4.)  But  by  the 
many  in  the  text  our  Lord  intendeth  in  special  the  pro- 
fesssor  ;  the  professor,  I  say,  how  high  soever  he  seems  to 
be  now,  that  shall  be  found  without  saving  grace  in  the 
day  of  judgment. 

Now  that  the  professor  is  in  special  intended  in  this  text, 
consider,  so  soon  as  the  Lord  had  said,  "  Many  will  seek 
to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able,"  he  pointeth,  as  with  his 
finger,  at  the  many  that  then  he  in  special  intendeth  ;  to 
wit,  them  among  whom  he  had  taught ;  them  that  had 
eat  and  drunken  in  his  presence ;  them  that  had  prophesied, 
and  cast  out  devils  in  his  name,  and  in  his  name  had  done 
many  wonderful  works,  Luke,  xxiii.  26  ;  Matth,  vii.  27. 
These  are  the  many  intended  by  the  Lord  in  this  text, 
though  others  also  are  included  under  the  sentence  of  dam- 
nation by  his  word  in  other  places.  "  For  many,"  &c. 
jNIatthew  saith  concerning  this  strait  gate,  That  there  are 
but  few  that  find  it.  But  it  seems  the  cast-aways  in  ray 
text  did  find  it ;  for  you  read,  that  they  knocked  at  it,  and 
cried,  "  Lord,  open  unto  us."  So  then,  the  meaning  may 
seem  to  be  this, — many  of  the  few  that  find  it  will  seek  to 
enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.  I  find,  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, some  will  be  crying  to  the  rocks  to  cover  them,  and 
some  at  the  gates  of  heaven  for  entrance.  Suppose  that  those 
that  cry  to  the  rocks  to  cover  them,  are  they  whose  con- 
science will  not  suffer  them  once  to  look  God  in  the  face, 
because  they  are  fallen  under  present  guilt,  and  the  dread- 
ful fears  of  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb,  Rev.  vi.  16  ;  and  that 
those  that  stand  crying  at  the  gate  of  heaven,  are  those 
whose  confidence  holds  out  to  the  last, — even  those  whose 
boldness  will  enable  them  to  contend  even  with  Jesus  Christ 
for  entrance  ;  them,  I  say,  that  will  have  profession,  cast- 
ing out  of  devils,  and  many  wonderful  works,  to  plead ; 
of  this  sort  are  the  many  in  my  text :  "  For  many,  I  say 


234  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 
"  For  many,"  &c.  Could  we  compare  the  professors  of  the 
times  with  the  everlasting  word  of  God,  this  doctrine  would 
more  easily  appear  to  the  children  of  men.  How  few  among 
the  many,  yea,  among  the  swarms  of  professors,  have  heart 
to  make  conscience  of  walking  before  God  in  this  world, 
and  to  study  his  glory  among  the  children  of  men  !  How 
few,  I  say,  have  his  name  lie  nearer  their  hearts  than  their 
own  carnal  concerns  !  Kay,  do  not  many  make  his  Avord, 
and  his  name,  and  his  ways,  a  stalking-horse  to  their  own 
worldly  advantages  ?  God  calls  for  faith,  good  conscience, 
moderation,  self-denial,  humility,  heavenly -mindedness, 
love  to  saints,  to  enemies,  and  for  conformity  in  heart,  in 
word,  and  life,  to  his  will :  but  where  is  it  ?  Mark,  xi.  22 ; 
1  Pet.  iii.  16  ;  Heb.  xiii.  5  ;  Phil.  iv.  5  ;  Matth.  x.  37-39  ; 
Col.  iii.  1-4  ;  Micah,  vi.  8  ;  Rev.  ii.  10  ;  John,  xv.  17  ;  1 
John,  iv.  21 ;  Matth.  v.  44  ;  Prov.  xxiii.  26  ;  Col.  iv.  6. 

"  For  many,  I  say  unto  you."  These  latter  words  carry 
in  them  a  double  argument  to  prove  the  truth  asserted  be- 
fore :  First,  in  that  he  directly  pointeth  at  his  followers  : 
"  I  say  unto  you  :"  Many,  I  say  unto  you,  even  to  you  that 
are  my  disciples,  to  you  that  have  eat  and  drank  in  my 
presence.  I  know  that  sometimes  Christ  hath  directed  his 
speech  to  his  disciples,  not  so  much  upon  their  accounts,  as 
upon  the  accounts  of  others  :  but  here  it  is  not  so  ;  the  I 
say  unto  you,  in  this  place,  it  immediately  concerned  some 
of  themselves  :  "  I  say  unto  you,  ye  shall  begin  to  stand 
without,  and  to  knock,  saying.  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us,  and 
he  shall  answer  and  say  unto  you,  I  know  you  not  whence 
you  are  ;  then  shall  ye  begin  to  say,  "We  have  eat  and  drank 
in  thy  presence,  and  thou  hast  taught  in  our  streets  :  But 
he  shall  say,  I  tell  you,  I  know  you  not  whence  you  are ; 
depart  from  me,  all  ye  workers  of  iniquity ;"  it  is  you,  you, 
you,  that  I  mean.  "  I  say  unto  you."  It  is  common  with 
a  professing  people,  when  they  hear  a  smart  and  a  thun- 
dering sermon,  to  say.  Now  has  the  preacher  paid  off  the 
drunkard,  the  swearer,  the  liar,  the  covetous,  and  adul- 
terer;  forgetting  that  these  sins  may  be  committed  in  a 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  235 

spiritual  and  mystical  way.  There  is  spiritual  drunken- 
ness, spiritual  adultery,  and  a  man  may  be  a  liar  that  calls 
God  his  Father  when  he  is  not,  or  that  calls  himself  a 
Christian,  and  is  not.  Wherefore,  perhaps  all  these  thun- 
ders and  lightnings  in  this  terrible  sermon  may  more  con- 
cern thee  than  thou  art  aware  of :  "I  say  unto  you ;"  unto 
yon,  ])vofessors,  may  be  the  application  of  all  this  thunder, 
Rev.  ii.  9  ;  iii.  9.     "  I  say  unto  you." 

Had  not  the  Lord  Jesus  designed  by  these  words  to  shew 
what  an  overthrow  will  one  day  be  made  among  professors, 
he  needed  not  liave  you'd  it  at  this  rate,  as  in  the  text,  and 
afterwards  he  has  done  ;  the  sentence  had  run  intelligible 
enough  without  it ;  I  say,  without  his  saying,  "  I  say  unto 
you."  But  the  truth  is,  the  professor  is  in  danger ;  the 
preacher  and  tlie  hearer,  the  workers  of  miracles,  and 
worlcers  of  wonders,  may  be  all  in  danger  of  damning, 
notwithstanding  all  their  attainments.  And  to  awaken  us 
all  about  this  truth,  therefore,  the  text  must  run  thus  : 
"  For  many,  I  say  unto  you,  shall  seek  to  enter  in,  and 
shall  not  be  able." 

See  you  not  yet  that  the  professor  is  in  danger,  and  that 
those  words,  "  I  say  unto  you,"  are  a  prophesy  of  the  ever- 
lasting perdition  of  some  that  are  famous  in  the  congrega- 
tion of  saints  ?  I  say,  if  you  do  not  see  it,  pray  God  your 
eyes  may  be  opened,  and  beware  that  thy  portion  be  not 
as  the  portion  of  one  of  those  that  are  wrapped  up  in  the 
28th  verse  of  the  chapter :  "  There  shall  be  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth,  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and  Isaac, 
and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets,  in  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, and  you  yourselves  thrust  out." 

"  For  many,  I  say  unto  you."  Thsse  words,  I  told  you, 
carry  in  them  a  double  argument  for  confirmation  of  the 
truth  asserted  before  :  First,  That  professors  are  here  par- 
ticularly pointed  at ;  and,  secondly,  It  is  the  saying  of  the 
truth  himself:  For  these  words  I  say,  are  words  full  of 
authority ;  I  say  it,  I  say  unto  you,  says  Christ,  as  he  saith 
in  another  place.  It  is  I  that  speak  ;  behold,  it  is  I.  The 
person  whose  words  we  have  now  under  consideration  was 


236  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

no  blundering  raw-headed  preacher,  but  the  very  Wisdom 
of  God,  his  Son,  and  him  that  hath  lain  in  his  bosom  from 
everlasting,  and  consequently  had  the  most  perfect  know- 
ledge of  his  Father's  will,  and  how  it  would  fare  with 
ju-ofessors  at  the  end  of  this  world.  And  now  hearken  what 
himself  doth  say  of  the  words  which  he  hath  spoken  : 
"  Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  my  word  shall 
not  pass  away,"  Matt.  xxiv.  35.     "  I  say  unto  you." 

The  prophet  used  not  to  speak  after  this  manner,  nor  yet 
the  holy  apostles ;  for  thus  to  speak,  is  to  press  things  to  be 
received  upon  their  own  authority.  They  used  to  say.  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  or  Paul,  or  Peter,  an  apostle,  or  a  servant 
of  God.  But  now  we  are  dealing  with  the  words  of  the 
Son  of  God  ;  it  is  he  that  hath  said  it ;  wherefore  we  find 
the  truth  of  the  perishing  of  many  professors  asserted,  and 
confirmed  by  Christ's  own  mouth.  This  consideration  car- 
rieth  great  awakening  in  it  ;  but  into  such  a  fast  sleep  are 
many  now-a-days  fallen,  that  nothing  will  awaken  them 
but  that  shrill  and  terrible  cry,  "  Behold,  the  Bridegroom 
comes  ;  go  ye  out  to  meet  him."     ''  I  say  unto  you." 

There  are  two  things  upon  which  this  assertion  may  be 
grounded.  1.  There  is  in  the  world  a  thing  like  grace,  that 
is  not.  2.  There  is  a  sin  called  the  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  from  which  there  is  no  redemption.  And  both  these 
things  befal  professors. 

1st,  There  is  in  the  world  a  thing  like  grace,  that  is  not. 
This  is  evident,  because  we  read  that  there  are  some  that 
not  only  make  a  fair  shew  in  the  flesh,  that  glory  in  ap- 
pearance, that  appear  beautiful  outwardly,  that  do  as  God's 
people,  but  have  not  the  grace  of  God's  people.  Gal.  vi.  12  ; 
2  Cor.  V.  12  ;  Matt,  xxiii.  27  ;  Isa.  Ivii.  2,  3.  It  is  evident 
also  from  those  frequent  cautions  that  are  everywhere  in 
the  Scriptures  given  us  about  this  thing  :  "Be  not  deceived  : 
Let  a  man  examine  himself :  Examine  yourselves  whether 
you  be  in  the  faith,"  Gal.  vi.  7 ;  1  Cor.  xi.  28 ;  2  Cor.  xiii.  3. 
All  these  expressions  intimate  to  us,  that  there  may  be  a 
shew  of,  or  a  thing  like  grace,  where  there  is  no  grace  in- 
deed.    3.  This  is  evident  from  the  conclusion  made  by  the 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  237 

Holy  Ghost  upon  this  very  thing  :  "  For  if  a  man  thinketh 
himself  to  be  something,  when  he  is  nothing,  he  deceiveth 
himself,"  Gal.  vi.  3.  The  Holy  Ghost  here  concludeth,  that 
a  man  may  think  himself  to  be  something,  may  think  he 
hath  grace,  when  he  hath  none,  may  think  himself  some ' 
thing  for  heaven  and  another  world,  when  indeed  he  is  just 
nothing  at  all  with  reference  thereto.  The  Holy  Ghost  also 
determines  upon  this  point,  to  wit,  that  they  that  do  so 
deceive  themselves  :  "  For  if  a  man  thinketh  himself  to  be 
something  when  he  is  nothing,  he  deceiveth  himself ;"  he 
deceiveth  his  own  soul,  he  deceiveth  himself  of  heaven  and 
salvation.  So  again :  "  Let  no  man  beguile  you  of  your 
reward,"  Col,  ii.  18.  4.  It  is  manifest  from  the  text,  "  For 
many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not 
be  able."  Alas  !  Great  light,  great  parts,  great  works,  and 
great  confidence  of  heaven,  may  be  where  there  is  no  faith 
of  God's  elect,  no  love  of  the  Spirit,  no  repentance  unto 
salvation,  no  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and  so  conse- 
quently, no  saving  grace.     But, 

'^dly^  As  there  is  a  thing  like  grace,  which  is  not,  so  there 
is  a  sin,  called  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  from  w^hich 
there  is  no  redemption  ;  and  this  sin  doth  more  than  ordi- 
narily befal  professors. 

There  is  a  sin  called  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  from 
which  there  is  no  redemption.  This  is  evident  both  from 
Matthew  and  Mark  :  "  But  whosoever  speaketh  against  the 
Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this 
world,  nor  in  the  world  to  come.  But  he  that  shall  blas- 
pheme against  the  Holy  Ghost,  hath  never  forgiveness,  but 
is  in  danger  of  eternal  damnation,"  Matth.  xii.  32  ;  Mark, 
iii.  29.  Wherefore,  when  we  know  tliat  a  man  hath  sinned 
this  sin,  we  are  not  to  pray  for  him,  or  to  have  compassion 
on  him,  1  John,  xv.  16  ;  Judg.  xxii. 

This  sin  doth  most  ordinarily  befal  professors  ;  for  there 
are  few,  if  any,  that  are  not  professors,  that  are  at  present 
capable  of  sinning  this  sin.  "  They  which  were  once  en- 
lightened, and  have  tasted  the  heavenly  gift,  that  were 
made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the 


238  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

good  word  of  God,  and  the  power  of  the  world  to  come," 
Heb.  vi.  4,  5,  of  this  sort  are  they  that  commit  this  sin. 
Peter  also  describes  them  to  be  such,  that  sin  the  unpardon- 
able sin  :  "  For  if  after  thay  have  escaped  the  pollution  of 
the  world,  through  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  they  are  again  entangled  therein  and  over- 
come, the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them  than  the  begin- 
ning," 2  Pet.  ii.  2.  The  other  passage  in  the  10th  of  the 
Hebrews  holdeth  forth  the  same  thing  :  "  For  if  we  sin 
wilfully,  after  we  have  received  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin,  but  a  certain 
fearful  looking  for  of  judgment,  and  fiery  indignation,  that 
shall  devour  the  adversaries,"  Heb.  x.  26,  27.  These,  there- 
fore, are  the  persons  that  are  the  prey  for  this  sin  :  this  sin 
feedeth  upon  professors,  and  they  that  are  such,  do  very 
often  fall  into  the  mouth  of  this  eater.  Some  fall  into  the 
mouth  of  this  sin,  by  delusions  and  doctrines  of  devils  ; 
and  some  fall  into  the  mouth  of  it,  by  returning  with  the 
dog  to  his  own  vomit  again,  and  with  the  sow  that  was 
washed  to  her  wallowing  in  the  mire,  1  Pet.  ii.  22.  I  shall 
not  here  give  you  a  particular  description  of  this  sin — that 
I  have  done  elsewhere  ;  but  such  a  sin  there  is,  and  they 
that  commit  it  shall  never  have  forgiveness.  And  I  say 
again,  there  be  professors  that  commit  this  unpardonalile 
sin,  yea,  more  than  most  are  aware  of.  Let  all  therefore 
look  about  them.  The  Lord  awaken  them  that  they  may 
so  do  ;  for  what  with  a  profession  without  grace,  and  by 
the  venom  of  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  many  will 
seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  a])le.  Will  seek  to 
enter  in. 

This  kingdom,  at  the  gate  of  which  the  reprobate  Avill  be 
stopped,  will  be  at  the  last  judgment  the  desire  of  all  the 
world  ;  and  they,  especially  they  in  my  text,  will  seek  to 
enter  in  ;  for  then  they  will  see  that  the  blessedness  is  to 
those  that  shall  get  into  this  kingdom,  according  to  that 
which  is  written,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  command- 
ments, that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and 
may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city,  Rev.  xxi.  14. 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  239 

To  prove  that  they  will  seek,  although  I  have  done  it  al- 
ready, yet  read  these  texts  at  your  leisure,  Matt.  xxv.  11  ; 
vii.  22  ;  Luke  xiii.  28.  And,  in  a  word,  to  give  you  the 
reason  why  they  will  seek  to  enter  in. 

(1.)  Now  they  will  see  what  a  kingdom  it  is,  what  glory 
there  is  in  it,  and  now  they  shall  also  see  the  blessedness 
which  they  shall  have  that  shall  then  be  counted  worthy 
to  enter  in.  The  reason  why  this  kingdom  is  so  little 
regarded,  it  is  because  it  is  not  seen  ;  the  glory  of  it  is  hid 
from  the  eyes  of  the  world  :  "  Their  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 
their  ear  heard,"  &c.  Ay,  but  then  they  shall  hear  and 
see  too  ;  and  when  this  comes  to  pass,  then,  even  then,  he 
that  now  most  seldom  thinks  thereof  will  seek  to  enter  in. 

(2.)  They  will  now  see  what  hell  is,  and  what  damna- 
tion in  hell  is,  more  clear  than  ever.  They  will  also  see 
how  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  stream  of  brimstone, 
doth  kindle  it.  0  the  sight  of  the  burning  fiery  furnace, 
which  is  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels  !  This,  this 
will  make  work  in  the  souls  of  cast-aways  at  that  day  of 
God  Almighty,  and  then  they  will  seek  to  enter  in. 

(3.)  Now  they  will  see  what  the  meaning  of  such  words 
as  these  are,  Hell-fire,  Everlasting  fire.  Devouring  fire,  P'ire 
that  never  shall  be  quenched.  Now  they  will  see  what 
Forever  means,  what  Eternity  means  ;  now  they  will  see 
what  this  word  means,  the  Bottomless  Pit ;  now  they  will 
hear  roaring  of  sinners  in  this  place,  howling  in  that,  some 
crying  to  the  mountains  to  fall  upon  them,  and  others  to 
the  rocks  to  cover  them  ;  now  they  will  see  blessedness  is 
nowhere  but  wdthin. 

(4.)  Now  they  will  see  what  glory  the  godly  are  pos- 
sessed with  ;  how  they  rest  in  Abraham's  bosom,  how  they 
enjoy  eternal  glory,  how  they  walk  in  their  white  robes, 
and  are  equal  to  the  angels.  0  the  favour,  and  blessedness, 
and  unspeakable  happiness  that  now  God's  people  shall 
have  !  and  this  shall  be  seen  by  them  that  are  shut  out, 
by  them  that  God  hath  rejected  for  ever ;  and  this  will 
make  them  seek  to  enter  in,  Luke  xvi.  22,  23 ;  xiii.  28. 
Will  seek  to  enter  in. 


240  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

Quest.  But  some  may  say,  How  will  they  seek  to  enter  in  ? 

Ans.  (1.)  They  will  put  on  all  the  confidence  they  can, 
they  will  trick  and  trim  up  their  profession,  and  adorn  it 
with  what  bravery  they  can.  Thus  the  foolish  virgins 
sought  to  enter  in  ;  they  did  trim  up  their  lamps,  made 
themselves  as  fine  as  they  could.  They  made  shift  to  make 
their  lamps  to  shine  awhile  ;  but  the  Son  of  God  discovering 
liimself,  their  confidence  failed,  their  lamps  went  out,  the 
door  was  shut  upon  them,  and  they  were  kept  out. 

(2.)  They  will  seek  to  enter  in  by  crowding  themselves 
in  among  the  godly.  Thus  the  man  without  the  wedding 
garment  sought  to  enter  in  :  He  goes  to  the  wedding,  gets 
into  the  wedding-chamber,  sits  close  among  the  guests,  and 
then,  without  doubt,  concluded  he  should  escape  damna- 
tion. But  you  know,  one  black  sheep  is  soon  seen,  though 
it  be  among  an  hundred  white  ones.  Why,  even  thus  it 
fared  with  this  poor  man  :  And  when  the  King  came  in  to 
see  the  guests,  he  saw  there  a  man  that  had  not  on  a  wed- 
ding-garment. He  spied  him  presently,  and  before  one 
word  was  spoken  to  any  of  the  others,  he  had  this  dreadful 
salutation,  "  Friend,  how  camest  thou  in  hither,  not  having 
on  a  wedding  garment  ?"  And  he  was  speechless  ;  though 
he  could  swagger  it  out  amongst  the  guests,  yet  the  master 
of  the  feast,  at  first  coming  in,  strikes  him  dumb  ;  and 
having  nothing  to  say  for  himself,  the  King  had  something 
to  say  against  him  :  "  Then  said  the  King  to  the  servants 
(the  angels),  bind  him  hand  and  foot,  and  take  him  away, 
and  cast  him  into  utter  darkness,  there  shall  be  weeping 
and  gnashing  of  teeth." 

(3.)  They  will  seek  to  enter  in,  by  pleading  their  pro- 
fession and  admittance  to  the  Lord's  ordinances  when  they 
were  in  the  world  :  "  Lord,  we  have  eat  and  drank  in  thy 
presence,  and  thou  hast  taught  in  our  streets  :"  we  sat  at 
thy  table,  and  used  to  frequent  sermons  and  Christian 
assemblies  ;  we  were  well  thought  of  by  thy  saints,  and 
were  admitted  into  thy  churches  ;  we  professed  the  same 
faith  as  they  did  ;  Lord,  Lord,  open  unto  us. 

(4.)  They  will  seek  to  enter  in,  by  pleading  their  vir- 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  241 

tues  ;  how  they  subjected  to  his  ministry,  how  they  wrought 
for  him,  Avhat  good  they  did  in  the  world,  and  the  like, 
Matt,  vii,  22  ;  but  neither  will  this  help  them  ;  the  same 
answer  that  the  two  former  had,  the  same  have  these, — 
"  Depart  from  me,  ye  workers  of  iniquity." 

(5.)  They  will  seek  to  enter  in,  by  pleading  excuses, 
when  they  cannot  evade  conviction.  The  slothful  servant 
went  this  way  to  work,  when  he  was  called  to  account  for 
not  improving  his  Lord's  money  :  "  Lord  (says  he)  I  knew 
thou  wast  an  hard  man,  reaping  where  thou  hast  not  sowed, 
and  gathering  where  thou  hast  not  strawed,  and  I  was 
afraid,"  ike.  (either  that  I  should  not  please  in  laying  out 
thy  money,  or  that  I  should  put  it  into  hands  out  of  which 
I  should  not  get  it  again  at  thy  need),  "  and  I  went  and 
hid  thy  talent  in  the  earth  ;  lo,  there  thou  hast  that  is 
thine  ;"  as  if  he  had  said.  True,  Lord,  I  have  not  improved, 
I  have  not  got ;  but  consider  also  I  have  not  embezzled,  I 
have  not  spent  nor  lost  thy  money  ;  lo,  there  thou  hast 
what  is  thine.  Matt.  xxv.  24^28.  There  are  but  few  will 
be  able  to  say  these  last  words  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
The  most  of  professors  are  for  embezzling,  mispending,  and 
slothing  away  their  time,  their  talents,  their  opportunities 
to  do  good  in.  But  I  say,  if  he  that  can  make  so  good  an 
excuse  as  to  say,  Lo,  there  thou  hast  that  is  thine  ;  I  say, 
if  such  an  one  shall  be  called  a  wicked  and  slothful  servant, 
if  such  an  one  shall  be  put  to  shame  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, yea,  if  such  an  one  shall,  notwithstanding  this  care 
to  save  his  Lord's  money,  be  cast  as  unprofitable  into  utter 
darkness,  where  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth, 
what  will  they  do  that  have  neither  taken  care  to  lay  out, 
nor  care  to  keep  what  was  committed  to  their,  trust  ? 

(6.)  They  will  seek  to  enter  in,  by  pleading  that  igno- 
rance was  the  ground  of  their  miscarrying  in  the  things 
wherein  they  offended.  Wherefore  when  Christ  charges 
them  with  want  of  love  to  him,  and  with  want  of  those 
fruits  that  should  prove  their  love  to  be  true — as,  that  they 
did  not  feed  him,  did  not  give  him  drink,  did  not  take  him 
in,  did  not  clothe  him,  visit  him,  come  unto  him,  and  the 


242  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

like — they  readily  reply,  "  Lord,  when  saw  we  thee  an 
hungered,  or  athirst,  or  a  stranger,  or  naked,  or  sick,  or  in 
prison,  and  did  not  minister  unto  thee  V  Matt,  xxv.  41-45. 
As  who  should  say.  Lord,  we  are  not  conscious  to  ourselves 
that  this  charge  is  worthily  laid  at  our  door :  God  forbid 
that  we  should  have  been  such  sinners.  But,  Lord,  give 
an  instance  ;  when  was  it,  or  where  1  True,  there  was  a 
company  of  poor  sorry  people  in  the  woild,  very  incon- 
siderable, set  by  with  nobody  ;  but  for  thyself,  we  pro- 
fessed thee,  we  loved  thee,  and  hadst  thou  been  with  us  in 
the  world,  wouldst  thou  have  worn  gold,  wouldst  thou 
have  eaten  the  sweetest  of  the  world,  we  would  have  pro- 
vided it  for  thee  ;  and  therefore.  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us. 
But  will  this  plea  do  1  No.  Then  shall  he  answer  them, 
"  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  of  the  least  of  these  my 
brethren,  ye  did  it  not  to  me."  This  plea,  then,  though 
grounded  upon  ignorance,  which  is  one  of  the  strangest 
pleas  for  neglect  of  duty,  would  not  give  them  admittance 
into  the  kingdom  :  "  These  shall  go  away  into  everlasting 
punishment,  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal." 

I  might  add  other  things  by  which  it  will  appear  how 
they  will  seek  to  enter  in.     As, 

(1.)  They  will  make  a  stop  at  this  gate,  this  beautiful 
gate  of  heaven  ;  they  will  begin  to  stand  without  at  the 
gate,  as  being  loath  to  go  any  further.  Never  did  male- 
factor so  unwillingly  turn  off  the  ladder  when  the  rope  was 
about  his  neck,  as  these  will  turn  away  in  that  day  fi-om 
the  gates  of  heaven  to  hell. 

(2.)  They  will  not  only  make  a  stop  at  the  gate  ;  but 
there  they  will  knock  and  call.  This  also  argueth  them 
willing  to  enter.  They  will  begin  to  stand  without,  and 
to  knock  at  the  gate,  saying,  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us.  This 
A\ord  Lord  being  doubled,  shews  the  vehemency  of  their 
desires  :  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us.  The  devils  are  coming  ; 
Lord,  Lord,  the  pit  opens  her  mouth  upon  us  ;  Lord,  Lord, 
there  is  nothing  but  hell  and  damnation  left  us,  if.  Lord, 
Lord,  thou  hast  not  mercy  upon  us ;  Lord,  Lord,  open 
to  us. 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  243 

(3.)  Their  last  argument  for  entrance  is  their  tears,  when 
gTOundless  confidence,  pleading  of  virtues,  excuses,  and 
ignorance,  will  not  do  ;  when  standing  at  the  gate,  knock- 
ing and  calling.  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us,  will  not  do,  then 
they  betake  themselves  to  their  tears.  Tears  are  some- 
times the  most  powerful  arguments,  hut  they  are  nothing 
worth  here.  Esau  also  sought  it  carefully  with  tears,  but 
it  helped  him  nothing  at  all,  Heb.  xii.  15,  16.  There  shall 
be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth  ;  for  the  gate  is  shut  for 
ever,'mercy  is  gone  for  ever,  Christ  hath  rejected  them  for 
ever.  All  their  pleas,  excuses,  and  tears,  will  not  make 
them  able  to  enter  into  this  kingdom. 

"  For  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and 
shall  not  be  able." 

I  come  now  to  the  latter  part  of  the  words,  which  closely 
shew  us  the  reason  of  the  rejection  of  these  many  that 
must  be  damned, — "  They  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall 
not  be  able." 

An  h^'pocrite,  a  false  professor,  may  go  a  great  way  ; 
they  may  pass  through  the  first  and  second  watch,  to  wit, 
may  be  approved  of  Christians  and  churches  ;  but  what 
yyiU  they  do  when  they  come  at  this  iron  gate  that  leadeth 
into  the  city  1  There  the  Avorkers  of  iniquity  will  fall,  be 
cast  down,  and  shall  not  be  able  to  rise. 

"  And  shall  not  be  able."  The  time,  as  I  have  already 
hinted,  which  my  text  respecteth,  it  is  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, a  day  when  all  masks  and  vizards  shall  be  taken  off 
from  all  faces.  It  is  a  day  wherein  God  "  will  bring  to 
light  the  hidden  things  of  darkness,  and  will  make  mani- 
fest the  counsels  of  the  heart,"  1  Cor.  iv.  5.  It  is  also  the 
day  of  his  wrath,  the  day  in  which  he  will  pay  vengeance, 
even  a  recompense  to  his  adversaries. 

At  this  day,  those  things  that  now  these  many  count 
sound  and  good,  will  then  shake  like  a  quagmire,  even  all 
their  naked  knowledge,  their  feigned  faith,  pretended  love, 
glorious  shows  of  gravity  in  the  face,  their  holiday-words, 
and  specious  carriages,  will  stand  them  in  little  stead.  I 
call  them  holiday  ones,  for  I  perceive  that  some  professors 


244  THE  STRAIT  GATE, 

do  with  religion  just  as  people  tlo  with  their  best  apparel — 
hang  it  against  the  wall  all  the  week,  and  put  them  on  on 
Sundays.  For  as  some  scarce  ever  put  on  a  suit  but  when 
they  go  to  a  fair  or  a  market,  so  little  house  religion  will 
do  with  some  ;  they  save  religion  till  they  go  to  a  meeting, 
or  till  they  meet  with  a  godly  chapman.  0  poor  religion  ! 
O  poor  professor  !  What  wilt  thou  do  at  this  day,  and  the 
day  of  thy  trial  and  judgment  ?  Cover  thyself  thou  canst 
not  ;  go  for  a  Christian  thou  canst  not ;  stand  against  the 
Judge  thou  canst  not.  What  wilt  thou  do  ?  "  The  un- 
godly shall  not  stand  in  judgment,  nor  sinners  in  the  con- 
gregation of  the  righteous." 

"  And  shall  not  be  able."  The  ability  here  intended  is 
not  that  which  standeth  in  carnal  power  of  fleshly  subtlety, 
but  in  the  truth  and  simplicity  of  those  things  for  the  sake 
of  which  God  giveth  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  his  people. 

There  are  five  things,  for  the  want  of  which  this  people 
will  not  be  able  to  enter. 

(1 .)  This  kingdom  belongs  to  the  elect,  to  those  for  whom 
it  was  prepared  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  Matt. 
XXV.  Hence  Christ  saith,  when  he  comes,  he  will  send 
forth  his  angels  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  they 
shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from 
one  end  of  heaven  to  another.  Matt.  xxiv.  And  hence  he 
saith  again,  "  I  will  bring  forth  a  seed  out  of  Jacob,  and 
out  of  Judah  an  inheritor  of  my  mountains,  and  mine  elect 
shall  inherit  it,  and  my  servants  shall  dwell  there."  "  They 
shall  deceive,  if  it  were  possible,  the  very  elect."  "  But  the 
elect  hath  obtained  it,  and  the  rest  were  blinded,"  Rom. 
xi.  7. 

(2.)  They  will  not  be  able  to  enter,  because  they  will 
want  the  birthright.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  for  the 
heirs, — and  if  children,  then  heirs  ;  if  born  again,  then 
heirs  :  wherefore  it  is  said  expressly,  ''  Except  a  man  be 
born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  By  this 
one  word,  down  goes  all  carnal  privilege  of  being  born  of 
flesh  and  blood,  and  of  the  will  of  man.  Canst  thou  pro- 
duce the  birthright  1  But  art  thou  sure  thou  canst  1  For  it 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  245 

^vill  little  profit  thee  to  think  of  the  blessed  kingdom  of 
heaven,  if  thou  wantest  a  birthright  to  give  thee  inheri- 
tance there.  Esau  did  despise  his  birthright,  saying,  What 
good  will  this  birthright  do  me  ?  And  there  are  many  in 
the  world  of  his  mind  to  this  day.  Tush,  say  they,  they 
talk  of  being  born  again  ;  what  good  shall  a  man  get  by 
that  ?  They  say,  no  going  to  heaven  without  being  born 
again.  But  God  is  merciful  ;  Christ  died  for  sinners  ;  and 
w^e  will  turn  when  we  can  tend  it,  and  doubt  not  but  all 
will  be  well  at  last.  But  I  will  answer  thee,  thou  child 
of  Esau,  that  the  birthright  and  blessing  go  together ;  miss 
of  one,  and  thou  shalt  never  have  the  other.  Esau  found 
this  true  ;  for  having  first  despised  the  birthright,  when  he 
would  afterwards  have  inherited  the  blessing,  he  was  re- 
jected ;  for  he  found  no  place  of  repentance,  though  he 
sought  it  carefully  with  tears,  Gen.  xxv. ;  Heb.  xii.  14-16. 

(3.)  They  shall  not  be  able  to  enter  in  who  have  not 
believed  with  the  faith  of  God's  operation  ;  the  faith  that 
is  most  holy,  even  the  faith  of  God's  elect :  "  lie  that  be- 
lieveth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  everlasting  life  ;  he  that 
believeth  not  the  Son  sliall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of 
God  abideth  on  him,"  John,  iii.  But  now,  this  faith  is 
the  effect  of  electing  love,  and  of  a  new  birth,  John,  xi.  12. 
Therefore,  all  the  professors  that  have  not  faith  wdiich 
floweth  from  being  born  of  God,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and 
shall  not  be  able. 

(4.)  They  shall  not  be  able  to  enter  in  that  have  not  gos- 
pel-holiness. Holiness  that  is  the  efi'ect  of  faith  is  that 
which  admits  into  the  presence  of  God,  and  into  his  king- 
dom too  :  "  Blessed  and  holy  are  they  that  have  part  in 
the  first  resurrection,  on  such  the  second  death  (which 
is  hell  and  eternal  damnation,  Rev.  xx.  14)  have  no  power," 
Rev.  XX.  6.  Blessed  and  holy,  with  the  holiness  that  flows 
from  faith  which  is  in  Christ ;  for  to  these  the  inheritance 
belongs  :  "  That  they  may  receive  forgiveness  of  sins,  and 
inheritance  among  them  that  are  sanctified  by  faith  (saith 
Christ)  which  is  in  me,"  Acts,  xxvi.  18.  This  holiness, 
which  is  the  natural  effect  of  faith  in  the  Son  of  God, 


246  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

Clirist  Jesus  the  Lord  will,  at  this  day  of  judgment,  dis- 
tinguish from  all  other  shows  of  holiness  and  sanctity,  be 
the}'  what  they  will,  and  will  admit  the  soul  that  hath 
this  holiness  into  his  kingdom,  when  the  rest  will  seek  to 
enter  in,  and  shall  not  he  able. 

(5.)  They  shall  not  be  able  to  enter  in  that  do  not  per- 
severe in  this  blessed  faith  and  holiness  ;  not  that  they  that 
have  them  indeed  can  finally  fall  away,  and  everlastingly 
perish  ;  but  it  hath  pleased  Jesus  Christ  to  bid  them  that 
have  the.  right  to  hold  fast  that  they  have  ;  to  endure  to 
the  end ;  and  then  tells  them  they  shall  be  saved — though 
it  is  as  true  that  none  is  of  power  to  keep  himself;  but 
God  worketh  together  with  his  children,  and  they  are  kept 
by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith,  unto  salvation,  which 
is  also  laid  up  in  hfeaven  for  them,  1  Pet.  i.  3-5. 

"  The  foolish  shall  not  stand  in  thy  sight ;  thou  hatest  the 
workers  of  iniquity."  The  foolish  are  the  unholy  ones, 
that  neither  have  faith,  nor  holiness,  nor  perseverance  in 
godliness,  and  yet  lay  claim  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ; 
but  '•  better  is  a  little  with  righteousness,  than  great  reve- 
nues without  right,"  Psalm  Iv.  ;  Prov.  xvi.  8.  What  is 
it  for  me  to  claim  a  house,  or  a  farm,  without  right  ?  or 
to  say,  all  this  is  mine,  but  have  nothing  to  shew  for  it  ? 
his  estate  lieth  in  his  conceit  ;  he  hath  nothing  by  birth- 
right and  law,  and  therefore  shall  not  be  able  to  inherit 
the  possession  :  "  For  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to 
enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 

Thus  you  see,  that  the  non-elect  shall  not  be  able  to  enter, 
that  he  that  is  not  born  again  shall  not  be  able  to  enter, 
that  he  that  hath  not  saving  faith,  with  holiness  and  per- 
severance flowing  therefrom,  shall  not  be  able  to  enter  : 
wherefore  consider  of  what  I  have  said. 

II.  I  come  now  to  give  you  some  observations  from  the 
words,  and  they  may  be  three. 

1.  When  men  have  put  in  all  the  claim  they  can  for 
heaven,  but  few  will  have  it  for  their  inheritance  :  "  For 
many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not 
be  able."     2.  Great,  therefore,  will  be  the  disappointment 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  247 

that  many  will  meet  with  at  the  day  of  judgment :  "  For 
many  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able."  3.  Going 
to  heaven,  therefore,  will  be  no  trivial  business  ;  salvation 
is  not  got  by  a  dream  ;  they  that  would  then  have  that 
kingdom,  must  now  strive  lawfully  to  enter  :  "  For  many, 
I  sav  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be 
able?' 

I  shall  speak  chiefly,  and  yet  but  briefly,  to  the  first  of 
these  observations,  to  wit. 

That  when  men  have  put  in  all  the  claim  they  can  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  but  few  Avill  have  it  for  their  inherit- 
ance.    The  observation  standeth  of  two  parts. 

1.  That  the  time  is  coming,  Avhen  every  man  will  put  in 
whatever  claim  they  can  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  2. 
There  will  be  but  few  of  them  that  put  in  claim  thereto 
that  shall  enjoy  it  for  their  inheritance. 

I  shall  speak  but  a  word  or  two  to  the  first  part  of  the 
observation,  because  I  have  prevented  my  enlargement 
thereon  by  my  explication  upon  the  words  ;  but  you  find 
in  the  25th  of  Matthew,  that  all  they  on  the  left  hand  of 
the  Judge  did  put  in  all  the  claim  they  could  for  this  blessed 
kingdom  of  heaven.  If  you  shall  take  them  on  the  left  hand, 
as  most  do,  for  all  the  sinners  that  shall  be  damned,  then 
that  completely  proveth  the  first  part  of  the  observation  ; 
for  it  is  expressly  said,  "  Then  shall  they  (all  of  them 
jointly,  and  every  one  apart)  also  answer  him,  saying, 
Lord,  when  saw  we  thee  thus  and  thus,  and  did  not  minister 
unto  thee  ?"  Matth.  xxv.  44.  I  could  here  bring  you  in  the 
plea  of  the  slothful  servant,  the  cry  of  the  foolish  virgins  : 
I  could  also  here  enlarge  upon  that  passage,  "  Lord,  Lord, 
have  we  not  eat  and  drank  in  thy  presence,  and  thou  hast 
taught  in  our  streets  ?"  But  these  things  are  handled  al- 
ready, in  the  handling  of  which  this  first  part  of  the 
observation  is  proved  ;  wherefore,  without  more  words,  I 
will,  God  assisting  by  his  grace,  descend  to  the  second  part 
thereof,  to  wit. 

There  will  be  but  few  of  them  that  put  in  claim  thereto 
that  will  enjoy  it  for  their  inheritance. 


248  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

I  shall  speak  distinctly  to  this  part  of  the  ohservation, 
and  shall  first  confirm  it  hy  a  Scripture  or  two. 

"  Strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  that  leadeth 
unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it,"  Matth.  vii.  13,  14. 
"  Fear  not,  little  flock,  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to 
give  you  the  kingdom,"  Luke,  xii.  32. 

By  these  two  texts,  and  by  many  more  that  will  be  urged 
anon,  you  may  see  the  truth  of  what  I  have  said. 

To  enlarge,  therefore,  upon  the  truth  ;  and,  First,  more 
generally  ;  Secondly,  more  particularly. 

1,  More  generally,  I  shall  prove  that  in  all  ages  but  few 
have  been  saved.  2.  More  particularly,  I  shall  prove  but 
few  of  them  that  profess  have  been  saved. 

First,  In  the  old  world,  w^hen  it  was  most  populous,  even 
in  the  days  of  Noah,  we  read  but  of  eight  persons  that  were 
saved  out  of  it :  well,  therefore,  might  Peter  call  them  but 
few ;  but  how  few  1  Why,  but  eight  souls  ;  "  wherein  few, 
that  is,  eight  souls,  w^ere  saved  by  water,"  1  Pet.  iii.  20.  He 
touches  a  second  time  upon  this  truth,  saying,  "  He  spared 
not  the  old  world,  but  saved  Noah  the  eighth  person,  a 
preacher  of  righteousness,  bringing  in  the  flood  upon  the 
world  of  the  ungodly."  Mark,  all  the  rest  are  called  the 
ungodly,  and  there  were  also  a  world  of  them,  2  Pet.  ii.  5. 
These  are  also  taken  notice  of  in  Job,  and  go  there  also  by 
the  name  of  wicked  men  :  "  Hast  thou  marked  the  old  way, 
which  wicked  men  have  trodden,  which  were  cut  down  out 
of  time,  whose  foundation  was  overflowTi  wdth  a  flood, 
which  said  unto  God,  Depart  from  us,  and  what  can  the 
Almighty  do  for  them  ?"  Job  xxii.  15-19. 

There  were  therefore  but  eight  persons  that  escaped  the 
wrath  of  God,  in  the  day  that  the  flood  came  upon  the  earth, 
the  rest  were  ungodly ;  there  \vas  also  a  w^orld  of  them,  and 
they  are  to  this  day  in  the  prison  of  hell,  Heb.  xi.  6 ;  1  Pet. 
iii.'l9,  20. 

Nay,  I  must  correct  my  pen,  there  w^ere  but  seven  of  the 
eight  that  were  good  ;  for  Ham,  though  he  escaped  the 
judgment  of  the  water,  yet  the  curse  of  God  overtook  him 
to  his  damnation. 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  249 

Secondly,  When  the  workl  began  again  to  be  replenished, 
and  people  began  to  multiply  therein :  how  few,  even  in  all 
ages,  do  we  read  of  that  were  saved  from  the  damnation  of 
the  world  ? 

(1.)  One  Abraham  and  his  wife  God  called  out  of  the  land 
of  the  Chaldeans  :  "  I  called  (said  God)  Abraham  alone," 
Isa.  li.  ],  2. 

(2.)  One  Lot  out  of  Sodom  and  Gomoi-rah,  out  of  Admah 
and  Zeboim  ;  oiie  Lot  out  of  four  cities.  Indeed  his  wife 
and  two  daughters  went  out  of  Sodom  with  him  ;  but  they 
all  three  proved  naught,  as  you  may  see  in  the  19th  of 
Genesis.  Wherefore  Peter  observes,  that  Lot  only  was  saved : 
"  He  turned  the  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  into  ashes, 
condemning  them  with  an  overthrow,  making  them  an 
example  unto  those  that  after  should  live  ungodly,  and 
delivered  just  Lot,  that  righteous  man  ;"  read  2  Peter,  ii. 
6,  7,  8. 

Jude  says,  that  in  this  condemnation,  God  overthrew, 
not  only  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  but  the  cities  about  them 
also  ;  and  yet  yon  find  none  but  Lot  could  be  found  that 
was  righteous,  either  in  Sodom  or  Gomorrah,  or  the  cities 
about  them  ;  wherefore  they,  all  of  them,  suffer  the  ven- 
geance of  eternal  fire,  verse  7. 

(3.)  Come  we  no\v  to  the  time  of  the  Judges,  how  few 
then  were  the  godly,  even  then  when  the  inhabitants  of 
the  villages  ceased,  they  ceased  in  Israel  !  "  the  highways 
(of  God)  were  the  unoccupied,"  Judges,  v.  6,  7. 

(4.)  There  were  but  few  in  the  days  of  David  :  "  Help, 
Lord  (sa^^s  he),  for  the  godly  man  ceaseth,  for  the  faithful 
fail  from  among  the  children  of  men,"  Psal.  xii.  ]. 

(5.)  In  Isaiah's  time  the  saved  were  come  to  such  a  few, 
that  he  positively  says  that  there  were  a  very  small  num- 
ber left :  "  God  had  made  them  like  Sodom,  and  they  had 
been  like  unto  Gomorrah,"  Isa.  i.  8,  9. 

(6.)  It  was  cried  unto  them  in  the  time  of  Jeremiah, 
that  they  should  "  run  to  and  fro  through  the  streets  of 
Jerusalem,  and  see,  and  know,  and  seek  in  the  broad  places 
thereof,  if  he  can  find  a  man,  if  there  be  any  that  executeth 


250  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

judgment,  that  seeketh  the  truth,  and  I  -will  pardon  it," 
Jer.  V.  1. 

(7.)  God  shewed  his  servant  Ezekiel  how  few  there  would 
be  saved  in  his  day,  by  tlie  vision  of  a  few  hairs  saved  out 
of  the  midst  of  a  few  hairs ;  for  the  saved  were  a  few  saved 
out  of  a  few,  Ezelv.  v.  3,  4,  5. 

(8.)  You  find  in  the  time  of  the  prophet  Micah,  how  tlie 
godly  complain,  that  as  to  number,  they  then  were  so  few, 
that  he  compares  them  to  those  that  are  left  behind,  when 
they  had  gathered  the  summer-fruit,  Micah,  vii.  1. 

(9.)  When  Christ  was  come,  how  did  he  confirm  this 
truth,  that  but  few  of  them  that  put  in  claim  for  heaven 
will  have  it  for  their  inheritance  !  But  the  common  people 
could  not  hear  it,  and  therefore,  upon  a  time  when  he  did 
but  a  little  hint  at  this  truth,  the  people,  even  all  in  the 
synagogue  where  he  preached  it,  "  were  filled  with  wrath, 
rose  up,  thrust  him  out  of  the  city,  and  led  him  unto  the 
brow  of  the  hill  (whereon  their  city  was  built),  that  they 
might  cast  him  down  headlong,"  Luke,  iv.  24-30. 

(10.)  John,  who  Avas  after  Christ,  saith,  "  The  whole 
world  lies  in  wickedness  ;  that  all  the  world  wondered  after 
the  beast  ;  and  that  power  was  given  to  the  beast  over  all 
kindreds,  tongues,  and  nations."  Power  to  do  what  ?  Why, 
to  cause  all,  both  great  and  small,  rich  and  poor,  bond  and 
free,  to  receive  his  mark,  and  to  be  branded  for  him,  John, 
V.  10  ;  Rev.  xiii.  3  ;  viii.  16. 

(11.)  Should  we  come  to  observation  and  experience,  the 
shew  of  the  countenance  of  the  bulk  of  men  doth  witness 
against  them  ;  "  they  declare  their  sin  like  Sodom,  they  hide 
it  not,"  Isa,  iii.  9.  Where  is  the  man  that  maketh  the 
Almighty  God  his  delight,  and  that  designeth  his  glory  in 
the  world  ?  Do  not  even  almost  all  pursue  this  world,  theHr 
lusts  and  pleasures  ?  and  so,  consequently,  say  unto  God, 
"  Depart  from  us,  for  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy 
ways  ;  or,  AVhat  is  the  Almighty  that  we  should  serve  him  ? 
It  is  in  vain  to  serve  God,"  &c. 

So  that  without  doubt  it  will  appear  a  truth  in  the  day 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  251 

of  God,  that  but  few  of  them  that  shall  put  in  their  claim 
to  heaven  will  have  it  for  their  inheritance. 

Before  I  pass  this  head,  I  will  shew  you  to  what  the  saved 
are  compared  in  the  Scriptures. 

(1.)  They  are  compared  to  an  handful  :  "  There  shall  be 
an  handful  of  corn  in  the  earth  upon  the  top  of  the  moun- 
tains," &c,,  Psal.  xxvii.  16  ;  this  corn  is  nothing  else  but 
them  that  shall  be  saved,  Matth.  iii.  12  ;  xiii.  30.  But 
mark,  "  There  shall  be  an  handful  :"  What  is  an  handful, 
when  compared  with  the  whole  heap  ?  or  what  is  an  hand- 
ful out  of  the  rest  of  the  world  ? 

(2.)  As  they  are  compared  to  an  handful,  so  they  are 
compared  to  a  lily  among  the  thorns,  Song  ii.  2,  which  is 
rare,  and  not  so  commonly  seen :  "  As  the  lily  among 
thorns  (saith  Christ),  so  is  my  beloved  among  the  daugh- 
ters." By  thorns,  we  understand  the  worst  and  best  of 
men,  even  all  that  are  destitute  of  the  grace  of  God,  "  for 
the  best  of  them  is  as  a  briar,  and  the  most  upright  of  them 
as  a  thorn- hedge,"  Micah  vii.  4  ;  2  Sam.  xxiii.  6.  2. 1  know 
that  she  may  be  called  a  lily  amongst  thorns  also,  because 
she  meets  with  the  pricks  of  persecution,  Ezek.  ii.  6  ;  xxix. 
24.  3.  She  may  also  be  thus  termed,  to  shew  the  dis- 
parity that  is  betwixt  hypocrites  and  the  church,  Luke 
viii.  14  ;  Heb.  viii.  But  this  is  not  all  ;  the  saved  are  com- 
pared to  a  lily  among  thorns,  to  shew  you  that  they  are  but  few 
in  the  world  ;  to  shew  you  that  they  are  but  few  and  rare  ; 
for  as  Christ  compares  her  to  a  lily  among  thorns,  so  she 
compares  him  to  an  apple- tree  among  the  trees  of  the  wood, 
which  is  rare  and  scarce,  not  common. 

(3.)  They  that  are  saved  are  called  but  one  of  many  ;  for 
though  tliere  be  threescore  queens,  and  fourscore  concubines, 
and  virgins  without  number,  yet  my  love,  saith  Christ,  is 
but  one,  my  undefiled  is  but  one,  Song  vi.  8,  9  ;  according 
to  that  of  Jeremiah,  "  I  will  take  you,  one  of  a  city,"  Jer. 
iii.  That  saying  of  Paul  is  much  like  this,  "  Know  you 
not,  that  they  which  i-un  in  a  race,  run  all,  but  one  re- 
ceiveth  the  prize,"  1  Cor.  ix.  24  ;  but  one,  that  is,  few  of 
many,  few  of  them  that  run  ;  for  he  is  not  here  comparing 


252  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

them  that  run  with  them  that  sit  still,  hut  with  them  that 
run,  some  run  and  lose,  some  run  and  win  ;  they  that  run 
and  win  are  few  in  comparison  with  them  that  run  and 
lose  :  "  They  that  run  in  a  race,  run  all,  but  one  receives 
the  prize  ;  let  there  then  be  threescore  queens,  and  four- 
score concubines,  and  virgins  without  number,  yet  the  saved 
are  but  few." 

(4.)  They  that  are  saved,  are  compared  to  the  gleaning 
after  the  vintage  is  in  :  "  Woe  is  me  (said  the  church),  for 
I  am  as  when  they  have  gathered  the  summer-fruit,  as  the 
grape-gleanings  after  the  vintage  is  in,"  Mich,  vii.  1.  The 
gleanings  !  What  is  the  gleanings  to  the  whole  crop  1  and 
yet  you  here  see,  to  the  gleanings  are  the  saved  compared  : 
It  is  the  devil  and  sin  that  carry  away  the  cart-loads,  while 
Christ  and  his  ministers  come  after  a  gleaning  :  But  the 
gleaning  of  the  grapes  of  Ephraim  are  better  than  the  vin- 
tage of  Abiezer,  Judges,  viii.  2.  Them  that  Christ  and  his 
ministers  glean  up  and  bind  up  in  the  bundle  of  life,  are 
better  than  the  loads  that  go  the  other  way.  You  know  it 
is  often  the  cry  of  the  poor  in  liarvest,  Poor  gleaning,  poor 
gleaning  :  And  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  they  also  cry, 
"  Lord,  who  hath  believed  our  report  1  And  to  whom  is  the 
arm  of  the  Lord  revealed  1"  Isa.  liii.  1.  When  the  prophet 
speaks  of  the  saved  under  this  metaphor  of  gleaning,  how 
doth  he  amplify  the  matter  1  "  G leaning-grapes  shall  be 
left,  says  he,  two  or  three  berries  in  the  top  of  the  upper- 
most bough,  four  or  five  in  the  utmost  fruitful  branches 
thereof,  saith  the  Lord,"  Isa.  xvii,  6.  Thus  you  see  what 
gleaning  is  left  in  the  vineyard,  after  the  vintage  is  in  ;  two 
or  three  here,  four  or  five  there.  Alas  !  they  that  shall  be 
saved  when  the  devil  and  hell  have  had  their  due,  they  will 
be  but  as  the  gleaning,  they  will  be  but  few  ;  they  that  go 
to  hell,  go  thither  in  clusters,  but  the  saved  go  not  so  to 
heaven,  Matth.  xiii.  30  ;  Micah,  vii.  Wherefore  when  the 
prophet  speaketh  of  the  saved,  he  saith,  there  is  no  cluster  ; 
but  when  he  speaketh  of  the  damned,  he  saith,  they  are 
gathered  by  clusters,  Rev.  xiv.  18, 19.  0  sinners  !  but  few 
will  be  saved  !     0  professors  !  but  few  will  be  saved  ! 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  253 

(5.)  They  that  shall  be  saved  are  compared  to  jewels  : 
"  And  they  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord,  in  the  day  that 
I  make  up  my  jewels,"  Malachi,  iii.  13.  Jewels,  you  know, 
are  rare  things,  things  that  are  not  found  in  every  house. 
Jewels  will  lie  in  little  room,  being  few  and  small,  though 
lumber  takes  up  much.  In  almost  every  house  you  may 
find  brass,  and  iron,  and  lead  ;  and  in  every  place  you  may 
find  h^-pocritical  professors,  but  the  saved  are  not  these 
common  things  ;  they  are  God's  peculiar  treasure,  Psal. 
XXXV.  4.  Wherefore  Paul  distinguisheth  betwixt  the  lum- 
ber and  the  treasure  in  the  house  :  There  is,  saith  he,  in  a 
great  house,  not  only  vessels  of  gold  and  silver,  but  also  of 
wood,  and  of  earth,  and  some  to  honour,  and  some  to  dis- 
honour, 2  Tim.  ii.  20.  Here  is  a  word  for  wooden  and 
earthy  professors  ;  the  jewels  and  treasure  are  vessels  to 
honour,  they  of  wood  and  earth  are  vessels  of  dishonour, 
that  is,  vessels  for  destruction,  Rom.  ix.  21. 

(6.)  They  that  shall  be  saved,  are  compared  to  a  rem- 
nant :  "  Except  the  Lord  had  left  in  us  a  very  small  rem- 
nant, w^e  should  have  been  as  Sodom,  and  should  have  been 
like  unto  Gomorrah,"  Isa.  i.  9.  A  remnant,  a  small  rem- 
nant, a  very  small  remnant  !  0  !  how  doth  the  Holy 
Ghost  w^ord  it !  and  all  to  shew  you  how  few  shall  be  saved. 
Every  one  knows  what  a  remnant  is,  but  this  is  a  small 
remnant,  a  very  small  remnant.  So  again,  "  Sing  with 
gladness  for  Jacob,  and  shout  among  the  chief  of  the  na- 
tions, publish  ye,  praise  ye,  and  say,  0  Lord,  save  thy 
people,  the  remnant  of  Israel,"  Jer.  xxxi.  7.  What  shall  I 
say  1  the  saved  are  often  in  scripture  called  a  remnant, 
Ezek.  ix.  8,  14  ;  Isa.  x.  20-22  ;  xi.  11,  16  ;  Jer.  xxiii.  3  ; 
Joel,  ii.  22.  But  what  is  a  remnant  to  the  whole  piece  ? 
What  is  a  remnant  of  people  to  the  whole  kingdom  1  or 
what  is  a  remnant  of  wheat  to  the  whole  harvest  ? 

(7.)  The  saved  are  compared  to  the  tythe  or  tenth  part ; 
wherefore  when  God  sendeth  the  prophet  to  make  the  hearts 
of  the  people  fat,  their  ears  dull,  and  to  shut  their  eyes,  the 
prophet  asketh,  "  How  long  ]"  to  which  God  answereth, 
"  Until  the  cities  be  wasted  without  inhabitant,  and  the 


254  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

houses  without  man,  and  the  land  he  utterly  desolate,  and 
the  Lord  have  removed  man  far  away,  and  there  he  a  great 
forsaking  in  the  midst  of  the  land  :  But  yet  (as  God  saith 
in  another  place,  "  I  will  not  make  a  full  end,")  in  it  shall 
be  a  tenth,  so  the  holy  seed  shall  be  the  substance  thereof," 
Isa.  vi.  10-13.  But  what  is  a  tenth  1  What  is  one  in  ten  1 
And  yet  so  speaks  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  he  speaks  of  the 
holy  seed,  of  those  that  were  to  be  reserved  from  the  judg- 
ment. And  observe  it,  the  fattening  and  blinding  of  the 
rest,  it  was  to  their  everlasting  destruction  ;  and  so  both 
Christ  and  Paul  expounds  it  often  in  the  New  Testament, 
Matth.  xiii.  14,  15  ;  Mark,  iv.  12  ;  Luke,  viii.  10  ;  John, 
xii.  40  ;  Acts,  xxviii.  26  ;  Rom.  xi.  8.  So  that  those  that 
are  reserved  from  them  that  perish  will  be  very  few,  one  in 
ten  :  "  A  tenth  shall  return,  so  the  holy  seed  shall  be  the 
substance  thereof." 

I  shall  not  add  more  generals  at  this  time  :  I  pray  God 
that  the  world  be  not  offended  at  these.  But  without  doubt, 
but  few  of  them  that  shall  put  in  their  claim  for  heaven 
will  have  it  for  their  inheritance  :  which  will  yet  farther 
appear  in  the  reading  of  that  which  follows. 

Therefore  I  come  more  particularly  to  shew  you,  that 
but  few  wall  be  saved.  I  say,  but  few  of  professors  them- 
selves will  be  saved  ;  for  that  is  the  truth  that  the  text  doth 
more  directly  look  at  and  defend.  Give  me  therefore  thy 
hand,  good  reader,  and  let  us  soberly  walk  through  the  rest 
of  what  shall  be  said  ;  and  let  us  compare  as  we  go  each 
particular  with  the  holy  Scripture. 

(1.)  It  is  said,  "  The  daughter  of  Zion  is  left  as  a  cottage 
in  a  vineyard,  as  a  lodge  in  a  garden  of  cucumbers,  as  a 
besieged  city,"  Isa.  xviii.  The  vineyard  was  the  church  of 
Israel,  Isa.  v.  1  ;  the  cottage  in  that  vineyard  was  the 
daughter  of  Zion,  or  the  truly  gracious  amongst,  or  in  that 
church.  A  cottage  ;  God  had  but  a  cottage  there,  but  a 
little  habitation  in  the  church,  a  very  few  that  were  truly 
gracious  amongst  that  great  multitude  that  professed  ;  and 
liad  it  not  been  for  these,  for  this  cottage,  the  rest  had  been 
ruined  as  Sodom  :  "  Except  the  Lord  of  Hosts  had  left  in 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  255 

US,  in  the  church,  a  very  few,  they  had  been  as  Sodom," 
ver.  9.  Wherefore,  among  the  multitude  of  them  that  shall 
be  damned,  professors  will  make  a  considerable  party. 

(2.)  "  For  though  thy  people  Israel  be  as  the  sand  of  the 
sea,  a  remnant  shall  return,  a  remnant  shall  be  saved," 
Isa.  X.  22  ;  Rom.  ix.  27.  For  though  thy  people  Israel, 
whom  thou  broughtest  out  of  Egypt,  to  whom  thou  hast 
given  church-constitution,  holy  laws,  holy  ordinances,  holy 
prophets,  and  holy  covenants  ;  thy  people  by  separation 
from  all  people,  and  thy  people  by  profession ;  though  this 
thy  people  be  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  a  remnant  shall  be 
saved ;  wherefore,  among  the  multitude  of  them  that  shall 
be  damned,  professors  will  make  a  considerable  party. 

(3.)  "  Reprobate  silver  shall  men  call  them,  because  the 
Lord  hath  rejected  them,"  Jer.  vi.  30.  The  people  here 
under  consideration  are  called  in  ver.  27,  God's  people,  his 
people  by  profession  :  "  I  have  set  thee  for  a  tower  and  a 
fortress  among  my  people,  that  thou  mayest  know,  and 
try  their  way."  What  follows  1  They  are  all  grievous 
revolters,  walking  with  slanders,  reprobate  silver ;  the  Lord 
hath  rejected  them.  In  chap.  vii.  ver.  29,  they  are  called 
also  the  generation  of  his  wrath  :  "  For  the  Lord  hath  re- 
jected and  forsaken  th?  generation  of  his  wrath."  This, 
therefore,  I  gather  out  of  these  holy  Scriptures, — that  with 
reference  to  profession  and  church-constitution,  a  people 
may  be  called  the  people  of  God ;  but,  with  reference  to  the 
event  and  final  conclusion  that  God  will  make  with  some 
of  them,  they  may  be  truly  the  generation  of  his  wrath. 

(4.)  In  the  5th  of  Isaiah,  you  read  again  of  the  vineyard 
of  God,  and  that  it  was  planted  on  a  very  fruitful  hill, 
planted  with  the  choicest  vines,  had  a  wall,  a  tower,  a  wine- 
press belonging  to  it,  and  all  things  that  could  put  it  into 
right  order  and  good  government,  as  a  church  ;  but  this 
vineyard  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  brought  forth  wild  grapes, 
fruits  unbecoming  her  constitution  and  government,  where- 
fore the  Lord  takes  from  her  his  hedge  and  wall,  and  lets 
her  be  trodden  down.     Read  Christ's  exposition  upon  it  in 


266  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

Matth.  ii,  23,  &:c.  Look  to  it,  professors,  these  are  the  words 
of  the  text,  "  For  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter 
in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 

(5.)  "  Son  of  man,"  said  God  to  the  prophet,  "  the  house 
of  Israel  is  to  me  become  dross,  all  they  are  brass  and  tin, 
and  iron  and  lead,  in  the  midst  of  the  furnace  they  are  the 
dross  of  silver,"  Ezek.  xxii.  18.  God  had  silver  there,  some 
silver,  but  it  was  but  little  ;  the  bulk  of  that  people  was 
but  the  dross  of  the  church,  though  they  were  the  members 
of  it.  But  what  doth  he  mean  by  the  dross  ?  why  he  looked 
upon  them  as  no  better,  notwithstanding  their  church- 
membership,  than  the  rabble  of  the  world,  that  is,  with 
respect  to  their  latter  end  ;  for  to  be  called  dross,  it  is  to  be 
put  amongst  the  rest  of  the  sinners  of  the  world,  in  tue 
judgment  of  God,  though  at  present  they  abide  in  his  house : 
"  Thou  puttest  away  all  the  wicked  of  the  earth  like  dross ; 
therefore  I  love  thy  testimonies,"  Psal.  cxix.  119. 

God  saith  of  his  saved  ones,  "  He  hath  chosen  them  in 
the  furnace  of  affliction."  The  refiner,  when  he  putteth 
the  silver  into  his  furnace,  he  puts  lead  in  also  among  it ; 
now  this  lead  being  ordered  as  he  knows  how,  works  up 
the  dross  from  the  silver,  which  dross,  still  as  it  riseth,  he 
putteth  by,  or  taketh  away  with  an  instrument.  And  thus 
deals  God  with  his  church  ;  there  is  silver  in  his  church, 
ay,  and  there  is  also  dross  :  now  the  dross  are  the  hypo- 
crites and  graceless  ones  that  are  got  into  the  church,  and 
these  will  God  discover,  and  afterwards  put  away  as  dross. 
So  that  it  will  without  doubt  prove  a  truth  of  God,  that 
many  of  their  professors  that  shall  put  in  claim  for  heaven, 
will  not  have  it  for  their  inheritance. 

(6.)  It  is  said  of  Christ,  "  His  fan  is  in  his  hand,  and  he 
will  thoroughly  purge  his  floor,  and  will  gather  his  wheat 
into  his  garner,  but  will  burn  up  the  chaff  with  unquench- 
able fire,"  Matth.  iii.  12. 

The  floor  is  the  church  of  God  :  "  0  my  threshing,  and 
the  corn  of  my  floor  !"  said  God  by  the  prophet  (Isa.  xxi. 
10)  to  his  people. 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  257 

The  wheat  are  those  good  ones  in  his  clun-ch  that  shall 
be  undoubtedly  saved  ;  therefore  he  saith,  "  Gather  my 
wheat  into  my  garner." 

The  chaff  groweth  upon  the  same  stalk  and  ear,  and  so 
is  in  the  same  visible  body  with  the  wheat,  but  there  is  not 
substance  in  it :  wherefore  in  time  they  must  be  severed 
one  from  the  other ;  the  wheat  must  be  gathered  into  tlie 
garner,  which  is  heaven  ;  and  the  chaff,  or  professors  that 
want  true  grace,  must  be  gathered  into  hell,  that  they  may 
be  burned  up  with  unquenchable  fire.  Therefore  let  pro- 
fessors look  to  it. 

(7.)  Christ  Jesus  casts  away  two  of  the  three  grounds 
that  are  said  to  receive  the  word,  Luke,  viii.  The  stony 
ground  received  it  with  joy,  and  the  thorny  ground  brought 
forth  fruit  almost  to  perfection.  Indeed  the  highway  ground 
was  to  shew  us,  that  the  carnal,  whilst  such,  receive  not  the 
word  at  all ;  but  here  is  the  pinch,  two  of  the  three  that 
received  it,  fell  short  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  for  but 
one  of  the  three  received  it  so  as  to  bring  forth  fruit  to  per- 
fection.    Look  to  it,  professors. 

(8.)  The  parable  of  the  unprofitable  servant,  the  parable 
of  the  man  without  a  wedding-garment,  and  the  parable  of 
the  unsavoury  salt,  do  each  of  them  justify  this  for  truth, 
Matth.  XXV.  24,  29  ;  xxii.  11-13  ;  also  v.  13.  That  of  the 
unprofitable  servant  is  to  shew  us  the  sloth  and  idleness  of 
some  professors ;  that  of  the  man  without  a  wedding-gar- 
ment, is  to  shew  us  how  some  professors  have  the  shame 
of  their  wickedness  seen  by  God,  even  when  they  are  among 
the  children  of  the  bridegroom  ;  and  that  parable  of  the 
unsavoury  salt  is  to  shew,  that  as  the  salt  that  hath  lost 
its  savour  is  fit  for  nothing,  no,  not  for  the  dunghill,  but 
to  be  trodden  under  foot  of  men  ;  so  some  professors  (yea, 
and  great  ones  too,  for  this  parable  reached  one  of  the 
apostles)  will  in  God's  day  be  counted  fit  for  nothing  but 
to  he  trodden  down  as  the  mire  in  the  streets.  Oh  I  the 
slothful,  the  naked,  and  unsavoury  professors,  how  will 
they  be  rejected  of  God  and  his  Christ  in  the  judgment ! 
Look  to  it,  professors. 

R 


258  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

(9.)  The  parable  of  the  tares  also  giveth  countenance  to 
this  truth  :  for  though  it  be  said,  the  field  is  the  world,  yet 
it  is  said,  the  tares  were  sown  even  in  the  church  :  "  And 
while  men  slept,  the  enemy  came  and  sowed  tares  among 
the  wheat,  and  went  his  way,"  Matth.  xiii.  24,  25. 

Object.  But  some  may  object.  The  tares  might  be  sown  in 
the  world  among  tlie  wlieat,  though  not  in  the  churches. 

Ans.  But  Christ,  by  expounding  this  parable,  tells  us, 
the  tares  were  sown  in  his  kingdom  ;  the  tares,  that  is,  the 
children  of  the  devil,  ver.  30,  39.  As  therefore  the  tares 
are  gathered  and  burned  in  the  fire,  so  shall  it  be  in  the 
end  of  this  world  :  "  The  Son  of  man  shall  send  forth  his 
angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things 
that  offend,  and  them  that  do  iniquity,  and  shall  cast  them 
into  a  furnace  of  fire  ;  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing 
of  teeth,"  ver.  40-44.     Look  to  it,  professors. 

(10.)  The  parable  of  the  ten  virgins  also  suiteth  our  pur- 
pose :  these  ten  are  called  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (Matth. 
XXV.  1),  that  is,  the  church  of  Christ,  the  visible  rightly- 
constituted  church  of  Christ ;  for  they  went  all  out  of  the 
world,  had  all  lamps,  and  all  went  forth  to  meet  the  bride- 
groom ;  yet  behold  what  an  overthrow  the  one-half  of  them 
met  with  at  the  gate  of  heaven ;  they  were  shut  out,  bid  to 
depart,  and  Christ  told  them  he  did  not  know  them,  ver. 
10,  11.     Tremble,  professors  !  Pray,  professors  ! 

(11.)  The  parable  of  the  net  that  was  cast  into  the  sea 
(Matth.  xiii.  41,  42),  that  also  countenancetli  this  truth. 
The  substance  of  that  parable  is  to  shew,  that  souls  may 
be  gathered  by  the  gospel,  there  compared  to  a  net,  may 
be  kept  in  that  net,  drawn  to  a  shore,  to  the  world's  end, 
by  that  net,  and  yet  may  then  prove  bad  fishes,  and  be  cast 
away.  The  parable  runs  thus  : — "  The  kingdom  of  heaven, 
the  gospel,  is  like  unto  a  net  which  was  cast  into  the  sea, 
the  world,  and  gathered  of  every  kind,  good  and  bad,  which 
when  it  w^as  full,  they  drew  it  to  shore,  to  the  end  of  the 
world,  and  sat  down,  in  judgment,  and  gathered  the  good 
into  vessels,  and  cast  the  bad  away."  Some  bad  fishes,  nay, 
I  doubt  a  great  many,   will  be  found  in  the  net  of  the 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  259 

gospel,  at  the  day  of  judgment.  Watch  and  be  sober,  pro- 
fessors. 

(12.)  "  And  many  shall  come  from  the  east  and  from  the 
west,  and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and 
Jacob,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  and  the  children  of  the 
kingdom  shall  be  cast  out,"  Matth.  viii.  12.  The  children 
of  the  kingdom,  whose  privileges  were  said  to  be  these, — 
to  whom  pertained  the  adoption,  and  the  glory,  and  the 
covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and  the  service  of 
God,  and  the  promise,  Rom.  ix.  4.  I  take  liberty  to  harp 
the  more  upon  the  first  church,  because  that  what  happened 
to  them,  happened  as  types  and  examples,  intimating,  there 
is  ground  to  think,  that  things  of  as  dreadful  a  nature  are 
to  happen  among  the  churches  of  the  Gentiles,  1  Cor.  x.  1 1, 
12.  Neither,  indeed,  have  the  Gentile  churches  security 
from  God  that  there  shall  not  as  dreadful  things  happen  to 
them.  And  concerning  this  very  thing,  sufficient  caution 
is  given  to  us  also,  1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10  ;  Gal.  v.  19-21 ;  Eph.  v. 
3-7;  Phil.  iii.  10,  11 ;  2  Thess.  ii.  11,  12;  2  Tim.  ii,  20.  21 ; 
Heb.  vi.  4-9  ;  and  x.  26-28  ;  2  Pet.  ii.  and  iii. ;  1  John,  v. 
10  ;  Rev.  ii.  20-22. 

(13.)  The  parable  of  the  true  vine  and  its  branches  con- 
firms what  I  have  said,  John,  xv.  1-6.  By  the  vine  there 
I  understand  Christ,  Christ  as  head  ;  by  the  branches,  I 
understand  his  church.  Some  of  these  branches  proved 
fruitless  castaways,  were  in  time  cast  out  of  the  churcli, 
were  gathered  by  men,  and  burned. 

(14.)  Lastly,  I  will  come  to  particular  instances. 

1.  The  twelve  had  a  devil  among  them,  John,  vi.  70. 
2.  Ananias  and  Sapphira  were  in  the  church  of  Jerusalem, 
Acts,  V.  3.  Simon  JNIagus  was  among  them  at  Samaria, 
Acts,  viii.  4.  Among  the  church  of  Corinth  were  them 
that  had  not  the  knowledge  of  God,  1  Cor.  xv.  5.  Paul 
tells  the  Galatians  that  false  brethren  crept  in  unawares  ; 
and  so  does  the  apostle  Jude,  and  yet  they  Avere  as  quick- 
sighted  to  see  as  any  nowadays,  Galatians,  ii. ;  Jude,  3,  4. 
6.  The  church  in  Sardis  had  l)ut  a  few  names  in  her,  to 
whom  the  kingdom  of  heaven  belonged  :  "  Thou  hast  a  few 


260  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

names,  even  in  Sard  is,  which  have  not  defiled  their  gar- 
ments, and  thej  shall  walk  with  me  in  white,  for  they  are 
worthy,"  7.  As  for  the  church  of  the  Laodiceans,  it  is 
called  "  wretched,  and  miserahle,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and 
naked,"  Rev,  iii.  So  that  put  all  things  together,  and  I 
may  boldly  say,  as  I  also  have  said  already,  that  among 
the  multitude  of  them  that  shall  be  damned,  professors  will 
make  a  considerable  party ;  or,  to  speak  in  the  words  of 
the  observation.  When  men  have  put  in  all  the  claim  they 
can  for  heaven,  but  few  will  have  it  for  their  inheritance. 

I  will  now  shew  you  some  reasons  of  the  point,  besides 
those  five  that  I  shewed  you  before. 

But,  first,  I  will  shew  you  why  the  poor,  carnal,  igno- 
rant world  miss  of  heaven,  and  then  why  the  knowing 
professors  miss  of  it  also, 

1,  The  poor,  carnal,  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven,  even 
because  they  love  their  sins,  and  cannot  part  with  them  : 
"  JNIen  love  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds 
be  evil,"  John,  iii.  The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  hea- 
ven, because  they  are  enemies  in  their  minds  to  God,  his 
word,  and  holiness  :  they  must  be  all  damned  who  take 
pleasure  in  unrighteousness,  2  Thess,  ii.  10-12,  The  poor 
ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven,  because  they  stop  their  ears 
against  convictions,  and  refuse  to  come  when  God  calls  : 
"  Because  I  have  called,  and  ye  refused,  I  have  stretched 
out  my  hand,  and  no  man  regarded,  but  have  set  at  nought 
all  my  counsels,  and  would  none  of  my  reproofs  ;  I  also 
will  laugh  at  your  calamities,  and  mock  when  your  fear 
cometh  as  desolation,  and  your  destruction  like  a  whirl- 
wind, when  distress  and  anguish  cometh  upon  you  ;  then 
shall  you  call  upon  me,  but  I  will  not  answer  ;  they  shall 
seek  me  early,  but  shall  not  find  me,"  Prov,  i,  24-29, 

2.  The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven,  because  the 
god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  their  eyes,  that  they  can 
neither  see  the  evil  and  damnable  state  they  are  in  at  pre- 
sent, nor  the  way  to  get  out  of  it :  neither  do  they  see  the 
beauty  of  Jesus  Christ,  nor  how  willing  he  is  to  save  poor 
sinners,  2  Cor,  iv,  2,  3. 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  261 

3.  The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven,  because  they 
put  off  and  defer  coming  to  Christ,  until  the  time  of  God's 
patience  and  grace  is  over.  Some  indeed  are  resolved  never 
to  come  ;  but  some  again  say,  We  will  come  hereafter,  and 
so  it  comes  to  pass,  that  because  God  called,  and  they  did 
not  hear  ;  so  they  shall  cry,  and  I  will  not  hear,  saith  the 
Lord,  Zech.  vii.  11-13. 

4.  The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven,  because  they 
have  false  apprehensions  of  God's  mercy.  They  say  in  their 
hearts,  We  shall  have  peace,  though  we  walk  in  the  ima- 
gination of  our  heart,  to  add  drunkenness  to  thirst.  But 
what  saith  the  word  ?  "  The  Lord  will  not  spare  him ;  but 
then  the  anger  of  the  Lord,  and  his  jealousy,  shall  smoke 
against  that  man,  and  all  the  curses  that  are  written  in 
this  book  shall  be  upon  him,  and  God  shall  blot  out  his 
name  from  under  heaven,"  Deut.  xxix.  19-21. 

5.  The  poor  ignorant  world  miss  of  heaven,  because  they 
make  light  of  the  gospel  that  offereth  mercy  to  them  freely, 
and  because  they  lean  upon  their  own  good  meanings,  and 
thinkings,  and  doings,  Matth.  xxii.  1-6  ;  Rom.  ix.  30,  31. 

6.  The  poor  carnal  world  miss  of  heaven,  because  by 
unbelief,  which  reigns  in  them,  they  are  kept  for  ever  from 
being  clothed  with  Christ's  righteousness,  and  from  wash- 
ing in  his  blood,  without  which  there  is  neither  remission 
of  sin,  nor  justification.     But  to  pass  these  till  anon. 

I  come,  in  the  next  place.  To  shew  you  some  reasons  why 
the  professor  falls  short  of  heaven. 

First,  In  the  general,  they  rest  in  things  below  special 
grace  ;  as  in  awakenings  that  are  not  special,  in  repentance 
that  is  not  special,  &c. ;  and  a  little  to  run  a  parallel  be- 
twixt the  one  and  the  other,  that,  if  God  will,  you  may  see 
and  escape. 

1.  Have  they  that  shall  be  saved,  awakenings  about  their 
state  by  nature  1  So  have  they  that  shall  be  damned.  They 
that  never  go  to  heaven,  may  see  much  of  sin,  and  of  the 
wrath  of  God  due  thereto.  This  had  Cain  and  Judas,  and 
yet  they  came  short  of  the  kingdom.  Gen.  iv. ;  Matth.  xxvii. 
4.     The  saved  have  convictions,  in  order  to  their  eternal 


262  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

life ;  but  the  others'  convictions  are  not  so.  The  convictions 
of  the  one  doth  drive  them  sincerely  to  Christ ;  the  convic- 
tions of  the  other  doth  drive  them  to  the  law,  and  the  law 
to  desperation  at  last. 

2.  There  is  a  repentance  that  will  not  save,  a  repentance 
to  be  repented  of ;  and  a  repentance  to  salvation,  not  to  be 
repented  of,  2  Cor.  vii.  10.  Yet  so  great  a  similitude  and 
likeness  there  is  betwixt  the  one  and  the  other,  that  most 
times  the  wrong  is  taken  for  the  right,  and  through  this 
mistake  professors  perish. 

As  (1.)  In  saving  repentance  there  will  be  an  acknow- 
ledgment of  sin  ;  and  one  that  hath  the  other  repentance 
may  acknowledge  his  sins  also,  Matth.  xxvii.  4.  (2.)  In 
saving  repentance  there  is  a  crying  out  under  sin  ;  but  one 
that  hath  the  other  repentance  may  cry  out  under  sin  also, 
Gen.  iv.  13.  (3.)  In  saving  repentance  there  will  be  humi- 
liation for  sin ;  and  one  that  hath  the  other  repentance  may 
humble  himself  also,  1  Kings,  xxi.  29.  (4.)  Saving  repent- 
ance is  attended  with  self-loathing  ;  but  he  that  hath  tlie 
other  repentance  may  have  loathing  of  sin  too,  2  Pet.  ii. 
22, — a  loathing  of  sin,  because  it  is  sin,  that  he  cannot  have ; 
but  a  loathing  of  sin,  because  it  is  offensive  to  him,  that  he 
may  have.  The  dog  doth  not  loath  that  which  troubleth 
his  stomach,  because  it  is  there,  but  because  it  troubleth 
him  ;  when  it  has  done  troubling  of  him,  he  can  turn  to  it 
again,  and  lick  it  up  as  before  it  troubled  him.  (5.)  Saving 
repentance  is  attended  with  prayers  and  tears  ;  but  he  that 
hath  none  but  the  other  repentance,  may  have  prayers  and 
tears  also.  Gen.  xxvii.  34,  35  ;  Heb.  xii.  14-16.  (6.)  In 
saving  repent^ance,  there  is  fear  and  reverence  of  the  word 
and  ministers  that  bring  it ;  but  this  may  be  also  wiiere 
there  is  none  but  the  repentance  that  is  not  saving  ;  for 
Herod  feared  John,  knowing  that  he  was  a  just  man,  and 
holy,  and  observed  him ;  when  he  heard  him,  he  did  many 
things,  and  heard  him  gladly,  Mark,  vi.  20.  (7.)  Saving 
repentance  makes  a  man's  heart  very  tender  of  doing  any 
thing  against  the  word  of  God.  But  Balaam  could  say, 
"  If  Balak  would  give  me  his  house  full  of  silver  and 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  263 

gold,  I  cannot  go  beyond  the  word  of  the  Lord,"  Numb, 
xxiv.  13. 

Behold,  then,  how  far  a  man  may  go  in  repentance,  and 
yet  be  short  of  that  which  is  called,  "  Repentance  unto  sal- 
vation, not  to  be  repented  of."  1.  He  may  be  awakened  ; 
2.  He  may  acknowledge  his  sin  ;  3.  He  may  cry  out  under 
the  burden  of  sin  ;  4.  He  may  have  humility  for  it  ;  5.  He 
may  loath  it ;  6.  May  have  prayers  and  tears  against  it ; 
7.  May  delight  to  do  many  things  of  God  ;  8.  May  be 
afraid  of  sinning  against  him ;  and  after  all  this  may  perish, 
for  want  of  saving  repentance. 

Secondly,  Have  they  that  shall  be  saved,  faith  ?  Why, 
they  that  shall  not  be  saved  may  have  faith  also  ;  yea,  a  faith 
in  many  things  so  like  the  faith  that  saveth,  that  they  can 
hardly  be  distinguished  (though  they  differ  both  in  root 
and  branch.)     To  come  to  particulars. 

1.  Saving  faith  hath  Christ  for  its  object,  and  so  may 
the  faith  have  that  is  not  saving.  Those  very  Jews  of  whom 
it  is  said  they  believed  on  Christ,  Christ  tells  them,  and 
that  after  their  believing,  "  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil, 
and  the  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will  do,"  John,  viii.  30-44. 
2.  Saving  faith  is  wrought  by  the  word  of  God,  and  so  may 
the  faith  be  that  is  not  saving,  Luke,  viii.  13.  3.  Saving 
faith  looks  for  justification  without  works,  and  so  may  a 
faith  do  that  is  not  saving,  James,  ii.  18.  4.  Saving  faith 
will  sanctify  and  purify  the  heart,  and  the  faith  that  is 
not  saving  may  work  a  man  off  from  the  pollutions  of  the 
world,  as  it  did  Judas,  Demas,  and  others — See  2  Pet.  ii. 
5.  Saving  faith  will  give  a  man  tastes  of  the  world  to  come, 
and  also  joy  by  them  tastes,  and  so  will  the  faith  do  that 
is  not  saving,  Heb.  vi.  4,  5  ;  Luke,  viii.  13.  6.  Saving 
faith  will  help  a  man,  if  called  thereto,  to  give  his  body 
to  be  burned  for  his  religion,  and  so  will  the  faith  do  that  is 
not  saving,  1  Cor.  xiii.  1-5.  7.  Saving  faith  will  help  a 
man  to  look  for  an  inheritance  in  the  world  to  come,"  and 
that  may  the  faith  do  that  is  not  saving  :  "  All  those  vir- 
gins took  their  lamps,  and  went  forth  to  meet  the  bride- 
groom," Matt.  XXV.  1.     8.  Saving  faith  will  not  only  make 


264  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

a  man  look  for,  but  prepare  to  meet  the  bridegroom,  and 
so  may  the  faith  do  that  is  not  saving  :  "  Then  all  these 
virgins  arose  and  trimmed  their  lamps,"  Matt.  xxv.  7. 
9.  Saving  faith  will  make  a  man  look  for  an  interest  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  with  confidence,  and  the  faith  that 
is  not  saving  will  even  demand  entrance  of  the  Lord  : 
"Lord,  Lord,  open  unto  us,"  Matt.  xxv.  11.  10.  Saving 
faith  will  have  good  works  follow  it  into  heaven,  and  the 
faith  that  is  not  saving  may  have  great  works  follow  it, 
as  far  as  to  heaven-gates  :  "  Lord,  have  we  not  prophesied 
in  thy  name,  and  in  thy  name  cast  out  devils,  and  in  thy 
name  done  wondrous  works,"  Matt.  vii.  22. 

Now,  then,  if  the  faith  that  is  not  saving  may  have 
Christ  for  its  object,  be  wrought  by  the  word,  look  for 
justification  without  works,  work  men  off  from  the  pollu- 
tions of  the  world,  and  give  men  tastes  of,  and  joy  in  the 
things  of  another  world  :  I  say  again,  if  it  will  help  a  man 
to  burn  for  his  judgment,  and  to  look  for  an  inheritance 
in  another  world  ;  yet  if  it  will  help  a  man  to  prepare  for 
it,  claim  interest  in  it ;  and  if  it  can  carry  great  works — 
many  great  and  glorious  works,  as  far  as  heaven-gates, 
then  no  marvel  if  abundance  of  people  take  this  faith  for 
the  saving  faith,  and  so  fall  short  of  heaven  thereby.  Alas, 
friends  !  There  are  but  few  that  can  produce  such  for 
repentance  ;  and  such  faith  as  yet  you  see,  I  have  proved 
even  reprobates  have  had  in  several  ages  of  the  church. 
But, 

Thirdly^  They  that  go  to  heaven  are  a  praying  people  ; 
but  a  man  may  pray  that  shall  not  be  saved.  Pray  !  He 
may  pray,  pray  daily  ;  yea,  he  may  ask  of  God  the  ordi- 
nances of  justice,  and  may  take  delight  in  approaching  to 
God  ;  nay,  further,  such  souls  may,  as  it  were,  cover  the 
altar  of  the  Lord  with  tears,  with  weeping  and  crying  out, 
Isa.  xxviii.  2  ;  Mai.  xii.  13. 

Fourthly^  Do  God's  people  keep  holy  fasts  ?  They  that 
are  not  his  people  may  keep  fasts  also — may  keep  fasts 
often — even  twice  a- week  :  "  The  Pharisee  stood,  and 
prayed  thus  with  himself :  God,  I  thank  thee  that  I  am 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  265 

not  as  other  men  are,  extortioners,  unjust,  adulterers,  or 
even  as  this  Publican  :  I  fast  twice  a-week,  I  give  tithes 
of  all  that  I  possess,"  Luke,  xvi.  11,  12.  I  might  enlarge 
upon  things,  but  I  intend  but  a  little  book.  I  do  not 
question  but  many  Balaamites  will  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment-seat to  condemnation  :  men  that  have  had  visions  of 
God,  and  that  knew  the  knowledge  of  the  Most  High  ;  men 
that  have  liad  the  Spirit  of  God  come  upon  them,  and  that 
have  by  that  been  made  other  men  ;  yet  these  shall  go  to 
the  generations  of  their  fathers,  they  shall  never  see  light, 
Num.  xxiv.  2,  4,  16  ;  ]  Sam.  x.  6,  10  ;  Psalm  xlix.  19. 

I  read  of  some  men  whose  excellency  in  religion  mounts 
up  to  the  heavens,  and  their  heads  reach  unto  the  clouds, 
who  yet  shall  perish  for  ever  like  their  own  dung  ;  and  he 
that  in  this  world  hath  seen  them,  shall  say  at  the  judg- 
ment, Where  are  they  ?  Job,  xx,  5-7.  There  will  be  many 
a  one  that  were  gallant  professors  in  this  world  be  want- 
ing among  the  saved  in  the  day  of  Christ's  coming  ;  yea, 
many  whose  damnation  was  never  dreamed  of.  Which  of 
the  twelve  ever  thought  that  Judas  would  have  proved  a 
devil  ?  Nay,  when  Christ  suggested  that  one  among  th^i 
was  naught,  they  each  were  more  afraid  of  themselves  than 
of  him.  Matt,  xxvi.  21-23.  Who  questioned  the  salvation 
of  the  foolish  virgins  1  The  wise  ones  did  not ;  they  gave 
them  the  privilege  of  communion  with  themselves.  Matt. 
XXV.  The  discerning  of  the  heart,  and  the  infallible  proof 
of  the  truth  of  saving  grace,  is  reserved  to  the  judgment  of 
Jesus  Christ  at  his  coming.  The  church  and  best  of  saints 
sometimes  hit,  and  sometimes  miss,  in  their  judgments 
about  this  matter  ;  and  the  cause  of  our  missing  in  our 
judgment  is,  1.  Partly  because  we  cannot  infallibly,  at  all 
times,  distinguish  grace  that  saveth  from  that  which  doth  but 
appear  to  do  so.  2.  Partly  also  because  some  men  have  the 
art  to  give  right  names  to  wrong  things.  3.  And  partly 
because  we  being  commanded  to  receive  him  that  is  weak, 
are  afraid  to  exclude  the  least  Christian,  by  which  means 
hypocrites  creep  into  the  churches.  But  what  saith  the 
scripture  ?   "  I  the  Lord  search  the  heart,  I  try  the  reins." 


266  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

And  again,  "  All  the  churches  shall  know  that  I  am  he 
that  searches  the  reins  and  hearts,  and  I  will  give  to  every 
one  of  you  according  to  your  works,"  Jer.  xi.  20;  xvii.  10; 
Rev.  ii.  23.  To  this  searcher  of  hearts  is  the  time  of  in- 
fallible discerning  reserved,  and  then  you  shall  see  how  far 
grace  that  is  not  saving  hath  gone  ;  and  also  how  few  will 
be  saved  indeed.  The  Lord  awaken  poor  sinners  by  these 
w^arnings  and  cautions. 

I  come  now  to  make  some  brief  use  and  application  of 
the  whole  ;  and  my  first  word  shall  be  to  the  open  profane. 
Poor  sinner,  thou  readest  here  that  but  a  few  will  be  saved, 
that  many  that  expect  heaven  will  go  without  heaven. 
What  sayest  thou  to  this,  poor  sinner  ?  Let  me  say  it  over 
again.  There  are  but  few  to  be  saved,  but  very  few.  Let  me 
add,  but  few  professors — but  few  eminent  professors.  What 
sayest  thou  now,  sinner  ?  If  judgment  begins  at  the  house 
of  God,  what  will  the  end  of  them  be  that  obey  not  the 
gospel  of  God  I  This  is  Peter's  question.  Canst  thou  answer 
it,  sinner  ?  Yea,  I  say  again,  if  judgment  must  begin  at 
them,  will  it  not  make  thee  think.  What  shall  become  of 
i^e  ?  And  I  add,  when  thou  shalt  see  the  stars  of  heaven 
to  tumble  dowTi  to  hell,  canst  thou  think  that  such  a  muck- 
heap  of  sin  as  thou  art  shall  be  lifted  up  to  heaven  1  Peter 
asks  thee  another  question,  to  wit,  "  If  the  righteous  scarcely 
be  saved,  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  sinners  appear  ?" 
1  Pet.  iv.  18.  Canst  thou  answer  this  question,  sinner  ? 
Stand  among  the  righteous  thou  mayest  not :  "  The  un- 
godly shall  not  stand  in  the  judgment,  nor  sinners  in  the 
congregation  of  the  righteous,"  Psalm  i.  5,  Stand  among 
the  wicked  thou  then  wilt  not  dare  to  do.  Where  wilt 
thou  appear,  sinner  1  To  stand  among  the  hypocrites  will 
avail  thee  nothing  :  "  The  hypocrite  shall  not  come  before 
him,"  that  is,  with  acceptance,  "  but  shall  perish,"  Job, 
xiii.  16.  Because  it  concerns  thee  much,  let  me  over  with 
it  again.  When  thou  shalt  see  less  sinners  than  thou  art, 
bound  up  by  angels  in  bundles,  to  burn  them,  where  wilt 
thou  appear,  sinner  ?  Thou  mayst  wish  thyself  another 
man,  but  that  will  not  help  thee,  sinner.     Thou  mayst 


THE  STRAIT  'JATE.  267 

wish,  Would  I  liad  been  converted  in  time  ;  but  that  will 
not  help  thee  neither.  And  if,  like  the  wife  of  Jereboam, 
thou  should  feign  thyself  to  be  another  woman,  the  Prophet, 
the  Lord  Jesus,  would  soon  find  thee  out  !  What  wilt 
thou  do,  poor  sinner  ?  Heavy  tidinj^s,  heavy  tidings,  will 
attend  thee,  except  thou  repent,  poor  sinner  !  1  Kings  xiv. 
2,  5,  6  ;  Luke,  xiii.  3,  5.  0  the  dreadful  state  of  a  poor  sin- 
ner, of  an  open  profane  sinner  !  Every  body  that  hath  but 
common  sense,  knows  that  this  man  is  in  the  broad  way  to 
death,  yet  he  laughs  at  his  own  danmation. 
Shall  I  come  to  particulars  with  thee  ? 

1.  Poor  unclean  sinner,  the  harlot's  house  is  the  way  to 
hell,  going  down  to  the  chambers  of  death,  Pro  v.  ii.  18  ; 
V.  5  :  vii.  27. 

2.  Poor  swearing  and  thievish  sinner,  God  hath  prepared 
the  curse,  that  every  one  that  stealeth  shall  be  cut  off,  as  on 
this  side,  according  to  it ;  and  every  one  that  sweareth, 
shall  be  cut  off  on  that  side,  according  to  it,  Zech.  v.  3. 

3.  Poor  drunken  sinner,  what  shall  I  say  to  thee  1  "  Woe 
to  the  drunkards  of  Ephraim,  woe  to  them  that  are  mighty 
to  drink  wine,  and  men  of  strong  drink  ;  they  shall  not  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  Isa.  xxviii.  v.  11,  12  ;  1  Cor. 
vi,  9,  10. 

4.  Poor  covetous  worldly  man,  God's  word  says,  "  That 
the  covetous  the  Lord  abhorreth  ;  that  the  covetous  man  is 
an  idolater  :  and  that  the  covetous  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God,"  Psal.  x.  3  ;  Eph.  v.  5 ;  John,  ii.  15  ;  1  Cor. 
vi.  9,  10. 

5.  And  thou  liar,  what  wilt  thou  do  ?  "  All  liars  shall 
have  their  part  in  the  lake  that  bumeth  with  fire  and  brim- 
stone," Rev.  xxi.  8,  27. 

I  shall  not  enlarge,  poor  sinner,  let  no  man  deceive  thee  ; 
for  because  of  these  things  cometh  the  wrath  of  God  upon 
the  children  of  disobedience,  Eph.  v.  6.  I  will  therefore 
give  thee  a  short  call,  and  so  leave  thee. 

Sinner,  awake  ;  yea,  I  say  unto  thee,  awake  :  Sin  lieth 
at  thy  door,  and  God's  axe  lieth  at  thy  root,  and  hell-fire  is 


268  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

right  underneath  thee  :  I  say  again,  awake  :  "  Every  tree 
therefore  that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit,  is  hewn  down, 
and  cast  into  the  fire,"  Gen.  iv.  7  ;  Matth.  iii.  10. 

Poor  sinner,  awake  ;  eternity  is  coming,  and  his  Son, 
they  are  both  coining  to  judge  the  world  ;  awake,  art  yet 
asleep,  poor  sinner  ?  let  nie  set  the  trumpet  to  thine  ear 
once  again.  The  heavens  will  be  shortly  on  a  burning 
flame  ;  the  earth,  and  the  works  thereof,  shall  be  burned 
up,  and  then  wicked  men  shall  go  into  perdition  ;  dost  thou 
hear  this,  sinner  ?  2  Pet.  iii.  Hark  again,  the  sweet  morsels 
of  sins  will  then  be  fled  and  gone,  and  the  bitter  burning 
fruits  of  them  only  left.  What  sayest  thou  now  sinner  ? 
Canst  thou  drink  hell-fire  1  Will  the  wrath  of  God  be  a 
pleasant  dish  to  thy  taste  ?  This  must  be  thine  every  day's 
meat  and  drink  in  hell,  sinner. 

I  will  yet  propound  to  thee  God's  ponderous  question, 
and  then  for  this  time  leave  thee  :  "  Can  thine  heart  en- 
dure, or  can  thine  hands  be  strong  in  the  day  that  I  shall 
deal  with  thee,  saith  the  Lord  ?"  Ezek.  xxii.  14.  What 
sayest  thou  1  Wilt  thou  answer  this  question  now  ?  or  wilt 
thou  take  time  to  do  it  ;  or  wilt  thou  be  desperate,  and 
venture  all  ?  And  let  me  put  this  text  in  thine  ear  to  keep 
it  open  ;  and  so  the  Lord  have  mercy  upon  thee  :  "  Upon 
the  wicked  shall  the  Lord  rain  snares,  fire  and  brimstone, 
and  an  horrible  tempest  ;  this  shall  be  the  portion  of  their 
cup,"  Psal.  xi.  6.     Repent,  sinners. 

Secondly,  My  second  word  is  to  them  that  are  upon  the 
potter's  Avheel  ;  concerning  whom,  w^e  know  not,  as  yet, 
whether  their  convictions  and  awakenings  will  end  in  con- 
version or  no.  Several  things  I  shall  say  to  you,  both  to 
further  your  convictions,  and  to  caution  you  from  staying 
any  where  below,  or  short  of  saving  grace. 

1,  Remember  that  but  few  shall  be  saved  ;  and  if  God 
should  count  thee  worthy  to  be  one  of  that  few,  what  a 
mercy  would  that  be  1  2.  Be  thankful,  therefore,  for  con- 
victions ;  conversion  begins  at  conviction,  though  all  con- 
viction doth  not  end  in  conversion.     It  is  a  great  mercy  to 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  269 

be  convinced  that  we  are  sinners,  and  that  we  need  a 
Saviour  ;  count  it  therefore  a  mercy,  and  that  thy  convic- 
tions may  end  in  conversion  :  Do  thou, 

1.  Take  heed  of  stifling  of  them  :  It  is  the  way  of  poor 
sinners  to  look  upon  convictions  as  things  that  are  hurtful ; 
and  therefore  they  use  to  shun  the  awakening  ministry,  and 
to  check  a  convincing  conscience.  Such  poor  sinners  are 
much  like  to  the  wanton  boy  that  stands  at  the  maid's 
elbow,  to  blow  out  her  candle  as  fast  as  she  lights  it  at  the 
fire.  Convinced  sinner,  God  lighteth  thy  candle,  and  thou 
puttest  it  out ;  God  lights  it  again,  and  thou  putteth  it  out 
("  yea,  how  oft  is  the  candle  of  the  wicked  put  out  1"  Job 
xxi.  17.)  At  last  God  resolveth  he  will  light  thy  candle 
no  more  ;  and  then,  like  the  Egyptians,  you  dwell  all  your 
days  in  darkness,  and  never  see  light  more,  but  by  the  light 
of  hell-fire ;  wherefore  give  glory  to  God,  and  if  he  awakens 
thy  conscience,  quench  not  thy  convictions  :  "  Bo  it  (saith 
the  prophet)  before  he  cause  darkness,  and  before  your  feet 
stumble  upon  the  dark  mountains,  and  he  turn  your  con- 
victions into  the  shadow  of  death,  and  make  them  gross 
darkness,"  Jer.  xiii.  16. 

1.  Be  willing  to  see  the  worst  of  thy  condition  ;  it  is  bet- 
ter to  see  it  here  than  in  hell  ;  for  thou  must  see  thy  misery 
here  or  there.  2.  Beware  of  little  sins,  they  will  make  way 
for  great  ones,  and  they  again  will  make  way  for  bigger, 
upon  which  God's  wrath  will  follow  ;  and  then  may  thy 
latter  end  be  worse  than  thy  beginning,  2  Pet.  ii.  20. 
3.  Take  heed  of  bad  company,  and  evil  communication,  for 
that  will  corrupt  good  manners.  God  saith,  evil  company 
will  turn  thee  away  from  following  him,  and  will  tempt 
thee  to  serve  other  gods,  devils  :  "  So  the  anger  of  the  Lord 
will  be  kindled  against  thee,  and  destroy  thee  suddenly," 
Deut.  vii.  4.  4.  Beware  of  such  a  thought  as  bids  thee 
delay  repentance,  for  that  is  damnable,  Prov.  i.  24  ;  Zech, 
vii.  12,  13.  5.  Beware  of  taking  example  by  some  poor 
carnal  professor,  whose  religion  lies  in  the  tip  of  his  tongue. 
Beware,  I  say  of  the  man  whose  head  swims  with  notions, 
but  his  life  is  among  the  unclean,  Job,  xxxvi.  14.     "  He 


270  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

that  walketh  with  wise  men  shall  be  wise ;  but  a  companion 
of  fools  shall  be  destroyed,"  Prov.  xiii.  20.  G.  Give  thyself 
much  to  the  word,  and  prayer,  and  good  conference.  7.  La- 
bour to  see  the  sin  that  cleaveth  to  the  best  of  thy  perform- 
ances, and  know  that  all  is  nothing  if  thou  beest  not  found 
in  Jesus  Christ.  8.  Keep  in  remembrance  that  God's  eye 
is  upon  thy  heart,  and  upon  all  thy  ways  :  "  Can  any  hide 
himself  in  secret  places,  that  I  should  not  see  him,  saith  the 
Lord  ?  do  not  I  fill  heaven  and  earth,  saith  the  Lord  V  Jer. 
xxiii.  24,  9.  Be  often  meditating  upon  death  and  judg- 
ment, Eccles.  xi.  9  ;  xii.  14.  10.  Be  often  thinking  what  a 
dreadful  end  sinners  that  have  neglected  Christ  will  make 
at  that  day  of  death  and  judgment,  Heb.  x.  31.  11,  Put 
thyself  often,  in  thy  thoughts,  before  Christ's  judgment- 
seat,  in  thy  sins,  and  consider  with  thyself.  Were  I  now 
before  my  judge,  how  should  I  look,  how  should  I  shake 
and  tremble  ?  1 2.  Be  often  thinking  of  them  that  are  now  in 
hell  past  all  mercy  :  I  say,  be  often  thinking  of  them, 
thus  : 

1.  They  were  once  in  the  world,  as  I  now  am.  2.  They 
once  took  delight  in  sin,  as  I  have  done.  3.  They  once 
neglected  repentance,  as  Satan  would  have  me  do.  4.  But 
now  they  are  gone,  now  they  are  in  hell,  now  the  pit  hath 
shut  her  mouth  upon  them. 

Thou  mayest  also  double  thy  thoughts  of  the  damned, 
thus  : 

1.  If  these  poor  creatures  were  in  the  world  again,  would 
they  sin  as  they  did  before  ?  would  they  neglect  salvation 
as  they  did  before  ?  2.  If  they  had  sermons,  as  I  have  ; 
if  they  had  the  Bible,  as  I  have  ;  if  they  had  good  company, 
as  I  have  ;  yea,  if  they  had  a  day  of  grace,  as  I  have  ; 
would  they  neglect  it  as  they  did  before  ?  Sinner,  couldst 
thou  soberly  think  of  these  things,  they  might  help  (God 
blessing  them)  to  awaken  thee,  and  to  keep  thee  awake  to 
repentance,  to  the  repentance  that  is  to  salvation,  never  to 
be  repented  of. 

Object.  But  you  have  said  few  shall  be  saved  ;  and  somt 
that  go  a  great  way,  yet  are  not  saved.     At  this,  therefore 


THE  HTRAIT  GATE,  271 

I  am  even  discouraged,  and  awakened  ;  I  think  I  had  as  good 
go  no  further.  I  am  indeed  under  conviction,  but  I  may 
perish,  and  if  I  go  on  in  my  sins,  I  can  but  perish  ;  and  it 
is  ten,  twenty,  an  hundred  to  one  if  I  be  saved,  should  I 
be  never  so  earnest  for  heaven. 

Ans.  That  few  will  be  saved  must  needs  be  a  truth,  for 
Christ  hath  said  it ;  that  many  go  far,  and  come  short  of 
heaven,  is  as  true,  being  testified  by  the  same  hand.  But 
what  then  ?  Why,  then  had  I  as  good  never  seek  ?  Who 
told  thee  so  ?  Must  nobody  seek  because  few  are  saved  ? 
This  is  just  contrary  to  the  text,  that  bids  us  therefore 
strive  ;  strive  to  enter  in,  because  the  gate  is  strait,  and 
because  many  will  seek  to  enter  in  and  shall  not  be  able. 
But  why  go  back  again,  seeing  that  is  the  next  way  to  hell  ] 
Never  go  over  hedge  and  ditch  to  hell.  If  I  must  needs 
go  thither,  I  will  go  the  farthest  way  about.  But  who  can 
tell,  though  there  should  not  be  saved  so  many  as  there 
shall,  but  thou  mayest  be  one  of  that  few.  They  that  miss 
of  life  perish,  because  they  will  not  let  go  their  sins,  or  be- 
cause they  take  up  in  profession  short  of  the  saving  faith 
of  the  gospel.  They  perish,  I  say,  because  they  are  con- 
tent with^  such  things,  as  will  not  prove  graces  of  a  saving 
nature  when  they  come  to  be  tried  in  the  fire,  otherwise 
the  promise  is  free,  and  full,  and  everlasting  :  "  Him  that 
cometh  to  me  (says  Christ)  I  will  in  nowise  cast  thee  out ; 
for  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  might  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life,"  John,  vi.  37.  Wherefore  let  not 
this  thought,  Few  shall  be  saved,  weaken  thy  heart,  but  let 
it  cause  thee  to  mend  thy  pace,  to  mend  thy  cries,  to  look 
well  to  thy  grounds  for  heaven  ;  let  it  make  thee  fly  faster 
from  sin  to  Christ ;  let  it  keep  thee  awake,  and  out  of  carnal 
security,  and  thou  mayest  be  saved. 

Thirdly,  My  third  word  is  to  professors.  Sirs,  give  me 
leave  to  set  my  trumpet  to  your  ears  again  a  little  ;  when 
every  man  hath  put  in  all  the  claim  they  can  for  heaven, 
but  few  will  have  it  for  their  inheritance  ;  I  mean  but  few 
professors,  for  so  the  text  intendeth,  and  so  I  have  also 


272  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

proved  :  "  For  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in, 
and  shall  not  be  able." 

Let  me  therefore  a  little  expostulate  the  matter  with  you, 
0  ye  thousands  of  professors  ! 

1.  I  begin  with  you  whose  religion  lieth  only  in  your 
tongues  ;  I  mean  you  who  are  little  or  nothing  known  from 
the  rest  of  the  rabble  of  the  world,  only  you  can  talk  better 
than  they.  Hear  me  a  word  or  two.  "  If  I  speak  with 
the  tongue  of  men  and  angels,  and  have  not  charity  (that 
is,  love  to  God,  and  Christ,  and  saints,  and  holiness),  I  am 
nothing," — no  child  of  God,  and  so  have  nothing  to  do  with 
heaven,  1  Cor.  xiii.  A  prating  tongue  will  not  unlock  the 
gates  of  heaven,  nor  blind  the  eyes  of  thy  judge.  Look  to 
it :  "  The  wise  in  heart  will  receive  commandments  ;  but 
a  prating  fool  shall  fall,"  Prov.  x.  8. 

2.  Covetous  professors,  thou  that  makest  a  gain  of  reli- 
gion, that  usest  thy  profession  to  bring  gi-ist  to  thy  mill, 
look  to  it  also.  Gain  is  not  godliness.  Judas's  religion 
lay  much  in  the  bag,  but  his  soul  is  now  burning  in  hell. 
All  covetousness  is  idolatry  ;  but  what  is  that,  or  what 
will  you  call  it,  when  men  are  religious  for  filthy  lucre's 
sake,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31.  , 

3.  Wanton  professors,  I  have  a  word  for  you  ;  I  mean 
you  that  can  tell  how  to  misplead  scripture,  to  maintain 
your  pride,  your  banqueting,  and  abominable  idolatry. 
Read  what  Peter  says.  You  are  the  snare  and  damnation 
of  others :  "  You  allure  through  the  lust  of  the  flesh, 
through  much  wantonness,  those  that  were  clean  escaped 
from  them  who  live  in  error,"  2  Pet.  ii.  18.  Besides,  the 
Holy  Ghost  hath  a  great  deal  against  you,  for  your  feast- 
ings,  and  eating  without  fear,  not  for  health,  but  gluttony, 
Jude,  12.  Farther,  Peter  says,  "  That  you  that  count  it 
pleasure  to  riot  in  the  day-time  are  spots  and  blemishes, 
sporting  yourselves  with  your  own  deceivings,"  2  Pet.  ii. 
14.  And  let  me  ask,  did  God  give  his  word  to  justify  your 
wickedness  ?  or  doth  grace  teach  you  to  plead  for  the  flesh, 
or  the  making  provision  for  the  lusts  thereof  ?  Of  these 
also  are  they  that  feed  their  bodies  to  strengthen  their  lusts, 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  273 

unaer  pretence  of  strengthening  frail  nature.  But  pray, 
remember  the  text,  "  Many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek  to 
enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 

4.  I  come  next  to  the  Opinionist ;  I  mean,  to  him  whose 
religion  lieth  in  some  circumstantials  of  religion.  With  this 
sort  this  kingdom  swarms  at  this  day.  These  think  all 
out  of  the  way  that  are  not  of  their  mode,  when  themselves 
may  be  out  of  the  way  in  the  midst  of  their  zeal  for  their 
opinions.  Pray,  do  you  also  observe  the  text :  "  Many,  I 
say  unto  you,  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 

5.  Neither  is  the  Formalist  exempted  from  this  number. 
He  is  a  man  that  hath  lost  all  but  the  shell  of  religion. 
He  is  hot  indeed  for  his  form  ;  and  no  marvel,  for  that  is 
his  all  to  contend  for.  But  his  form  being  without  the 
power  and  spirit  of  godliness,  it  will  leave  him  in  his  sins  ; 
nay,  he  standeth  now  in  them  in  the  sight  of  God  (2  Tim. 
iii.  5),  and  is  one  of  the  many  that  "  will  seek  to  enter  in, 
and  shall  not  be  able." 

6.  The  Legalist  comes  next,  even  him  that  hath  no  life 
but  what  he  makes  out  of  his  duties.  This  man  hath 
chosen  to  stand  and  fall  by  Moses,  who  is  the  condemner 
of  the  world  :  "  There  is  one  that  accuseth  you,  even  Moses, 
in  whom  ye  trust,"  John,  v.  45. 

7.  There  is,  in  the  next  place,  the  Libertine — he  that 
pretendeth  to  be  against  forms  and  duties,  as  things  that 
gender  to  bondage,  neglecting  the  order  of  God.  This  man 
pretends  to  pray  always,  but  under  that  pretence,  prays  not 
at  all  ;  he  pretends  to  keep  every  day  a  Sabbath,  but  this 
pretence  serves  him  only  to  cast  off  all  set  times  for  the 
worship  of  God.  This  is  also  one  of  the  many  that  "  will 
seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able,"  Tit.  i.  16. 

8.  There  is  the  temporising  Latitudinarian.  He  is  a 
man  that  hath  no  God  but  his  belly,  nor  any  religion  but 
that  by  which  his  belly  is  worshipped.  His  religion  is 
always,  like  the  times,  turning  this  way  and  that  way, 
like  the  cock  on  the  steeple  ;  neitlier  hath  he  any  con- 
science but  a  benumbed  and  seared  one,  and  is  next  door 


274  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

to  a  downright  Atheist ;  and  also  is  one  of  the  many  that 
"  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 

9.  There  is  also  the  wilfully  ignorant  professor,  or  him 
that  is  afraid  to  know  more,  for  fear  of  the  cross.  He  is 
for  picking  and  choosing  of  truth,  and  loveth  not  to  hazard 
his  all  for  that  worthy  name  b}-  which  he  would  be  called. 
When  he  is  at  any  time  overset  by  arguments,  or  awaken- 
ings of  conscience,  he  uses  to  heal  all  by — I  was  not  brought 
up  in  this  faith  ;  as  if  it  were  unlawful  for  Christians  to 
know  more  than  hath  been  taught  them  at  first  conversion. 
There  are  many  scriptures  that  lie  against  this  man,  as  the 
mouths  of  great  guns,  and  he  is  one  of  the  many  that  "  will 
seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able," 

10.  We  will  add  to  all  these,  the  professor  that  would 
prove  himself  a  Christian,  by  comparing  himself  with 
others,  instead  of  comparing  himself  with  the  word  of  God. 
This  man  comforts  himself,  because  he  is  as  holy  as  such 
and  such ;  he  also  knows  as  much  as  that  old  professor,  and 
then  concludes  he  shall  go  to  heaven  :  as  if  he  certainly 
knew,  that  those  with  whom  he  compareth  himself  would 
be  undoubtedly  saved  ;  but  how  if  he  should  be  mistaken, 
nay,  may  they  not  both  fall  short  1  but  to  be  sure  he  is  in 
the  wrong  that  hath  made  the  comparison,  2  Cor.  x.  12, 
and  a  wrong  foundation  will  not  stand  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. This  man,  therefore,  is  one  of  the  many  that  "  will 
seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 

1 1 .  There  is  yet  another  professor ;  and  he  is  for  God  and 
for  Baal  too  ;  he  can  be  any  thing  for  any  company ;  he  can 
throw  stones  with  both  hands  ;  his  religion  alters  as  fast 
as  his  company  ;  he  is  a  frog  of  Egypt,  and  can  live  in  the 
water  and  out  of  the  water  ;  he  can  live  in  religious  com- 
pany, and  again  as  well  out.  Nothing  that  is  disorderly 
comes  amiss  to  him  ;  he  will  hold  with  the  hare,  and  run 
with  the  hound  ;  he  carries  fire  in  the  one  hand,  and  water 
in  the  other  ;  he  is  a  very  any  thing  but  what  he  should 
be.  This  is  also  one  of  the  many  that  "  will  seek  to  enter 
in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 

1 2.  There  is  also  that  free-wilier,  who  denies  to  the  Holy 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  275 

Ghost  the  sole  work  in  conversion  ;  and  that  Socinian,  who 
denieth  to  Christ  that  he  hath  made  to  God  satisfaction  for 
sin  ;  and  that  Quaker,  who  takes  from  Christ  the  two 
natures  in  his  person  ;  and  I  might  add  as  many  more, 
touching  whose  damnation  (they  dying  as  they  are)  the 
Scripture  is  plain  :  these  "  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall 
not  be  able." 

But,  fourthly^  If  it  be  so,  what  a  strange  disappointment 
will  many  professors  meet  with  at  the  day  of  judgment ! 

1  speak  not  now  to  the  open  profane ;  every  body,  as  I  have 
said,  that  hath  but  common  understanding  between  good 
and  evil,  knows  that  they  are  in  the  broad  way  to  hell  and 
damnation,  and  they  must  needs  come  thither ;  nothing  can 
hinder  it  but  repentance  unto  salvation,  except  God  should 
prove  a  liar  to  save  them,  and  it  is  hard  venturing  of  that. 

Neither  is  it  amiss,  if  we  take  notice  of  the  examples 
that  are  briefly  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures,  concerning 
professors  that  have  miscarried. 

1.  Judas  perished  from  among  the  apostles.  Acts,  i.  2. 
Demas,  as  I  think,  perished  from  among  the  evangelists, 

2  Tim.  iv.  9.  3.  Diotrephes  from  among  the  ministers,  or 
them  in  office  in  the  church,  John,  x.  4.  And  as  for  Chris- 
tian professors,  they  have  fallen  by  heaps,  and  almost  by 
whole  churches,  2  Tim.  i.  15  ;  Rev.  iii.  4,  15-17.  5.  Let 
us  add  to  these,  that  the  things  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures 
about  these  matters,  are  but  brief  hints  and  items  of  what 
is  afterwards  to  happen  ;  as  the  apostle  said,  "  Some  men's 
sins  are  open  beforehand,  going  before  to  judgment ;  and 
some  men  they  follow  after,"  1  Tim.  v.  24.  So  that,  fellow- 
professors,  let  us  fear,  lest  a  promise  being  left  us  of  enter- 
ing into  this  rest,  any  of  us  should  seem  to  come  short  of 
it,  0  !  to  come  short !  nothing  kills  it,  nothing  will  burn 
like  it.  I  intend  not  discouragements,  but  awakenings  ; 
the  churches  have  need  of  awakening,  and  so  have  all  pro- 
fessors. Do  not  despise  me,  therefore,  but  hear  me  over 
again.  What  a  strange  disappointment  will  many  profes- 
sors meet  with  at  the  day  of  God  Almighty  ! — a  disappoint- 
ment, I  say,  and  that  as  to  several  things. 


276  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

1.  They  will  look  to  escape  hell,  and  yet  fall  just  into 
the  mouth  of  hell :  what  a  disappointment  will  here  be  ! 

2.  They  will  look  for  heaven,  but  the  gate  of  heaven  will 
be  shut  against  them  :   what  a  disappointment  is  here  ! 

3.  They  will  expect  that  Christ  should  have  compassion 
for  them,  but  will  find  that  he  hath  shut  up  all  bowels  of 
compassion  from  them  :  what  a  disappointment  is  here  ! 

kf^oXn,  fifthly,  As  this  disappointment  will  be  fearful,  so 
certainly  it  will  be  very  full  of  amazement. 

1.  Will  it  not  amaze  them  to  be  unexpectedly  excluded 
from  life  and  salvation  ?  2.  Will  it  not  be  amazing  to  them 
to  see  their  own  madness  and  folly,  while  they  consider  how 
they  have  dallied  with  their  own  souls,  and  took  lightly 
for  granted,  that  they  had  that  grace  that  would  save  them, 
but  hath  left  them  in  a  damnable  state  ?  3.  Will  they  not 
also  be  amazed  one  at  another,  while  they  remember  how 
in  their  lifetime  they  counted  themselves  fellow-heirs  of 
life  1  To  allude  to  that  of  the  prophet,  "  They  shall  be 
amazed  one  of  another,  their  faces  shall  be  as  flames,"  Isa. 
xiii.  8.  4.  Will  it  not  be  amazing  to  some  of  the  damned 
themselves,  to  see  some  come  to  hell  that  then  they  shall 
see  come  thither  1  to  see  preachers  of  the  word,  professors 
of  the  word,  practisers  in  the  word,  to  come  thither.  What 
wondering  was  there  among  them  at  the  fall  of  the  king  of 
Babylon,  since  he  thought  to  have  swallowed  up  all,  be- 
cause he  was  run  down  by  the  ]\Iedes  and  Persians  !  "  How 
art  thou  fallen  from  heaven,  Lucifer,  son  of  the  morning  ! 
How  art  thou  cut  down  to  the  ground  that  didst  weaken 
the  nations  !"  H  such  a  thing  as  this  will  with  amazement 
surprise  the  damned,  Avhat  an  amazement  will  it  be  to  them 
to  see  such  a  one  as  he,  whose  head  reached  to  the  clouds, 
to  see  him  come  down  to  the  pit,  and  perish  for  ever  like 
his  own  dung  1  "  Hell  from  beneath  is  moved  for  thee,  to 
meet  thee  at  thy  coming  ;  it  stirreth  up  the  dead  for  thee, 
even  all  the  chief  ones  of  the  earth,"  Isa.  xiv.  They  that 
see  thee  shall  narrowly  look  upon  thee,  and  consider  thee, 
saying.  Is  this  the  man  ?  Is  this  he  that  professed,  and 
disputed,  and  forsook  us  ;  but  now  he  is  come  to  us  again  % 


THE  STRAIT  GATE.  277 

Is  this  he  that  separated  from  us,  but  now  is  he  fallen  with 
us  into  the  same  eternal  damnation  with  us  1 

Sixthly,  Yet  again,  one  word  more,  if  I  may  awaken  pro- 
fessors. ].  Consider,  though  the  poor  carnal  world  shall 
certainly  perish,  yet  they  will  want  these  things  to  aggra- 
vate their  sorrow,  which  thou  wilt  meet  with  in  every 
thought  that  thou  wilt  have  of  the  condition  thou  wast  in 
when  thou  wast  in  the  world. 

1.  They  will  not  have  a  profession,  to  bite  them  when 
they  come  thither.  2.  They  will  not  have  a  taste  of  a  lost 
heaven,  to  bite  them  when  they  come  thither.  3.  They  will 
not  have  the  thoughts  of,  I  was  almost  at  heaven,  to  bite 
them  when  they  come  thither.  4.  They  will  not  have  the 
thoughts  of,  how  they  cheated  saints,  ministers,  churches, 
to  bite  them  when  they  come  thither.  5.  They  will  not 
have  the  dying  thoughts  of  false  faith,  false  hope,  false 
repentance,  and  false  holiness,  to  bite  them  when  they  come 
thither.  I  was  at  the  gates  of  heaven,  I  looked  into  heaven, 
I  thought  I  should  have  entered  into  heaven  ;  0  how  will 
these  things  sting  !  They  will,  if  I  may  call  them  so,  be 
the  sting  of  the  sting  of  death  in  hell  fire. 

Seventhly,  Give  me  leave  now  in  a  word  to  give  you  a 
little  advice. 

1.  Dost  thou  love  thine  own  soul  1  then  pray  to  Jesus 
Christ  for  an  awakened  heart,  for  an  heart  so  awakened 
with  all  the  things  of  another  world,  that  thou  mayst  be 
allured  to  Jesus  Christ.  2.  When  thou  comest  there,  beg 
again  for  more  awakenings  about  sin,  hell,  grace,  and  about 
the  righteousness  of  Christ.  3.  Cry  also  for  a  spirit  of  dis- 
cerning, that  thou  mayst  know  that  which  is  saving  grace 
indeed.  4.  Above  all  studies,  apply  thyself  to  the  study  of 
those  things  that  shew  thee  the  evil  of  sin,  the  shortness  of 
man's  life,  and  which  is  the  way  to  be  saved.  5.  Keep 
company  with  the  most  godly  among  professors.  6.  Whea 
thou  hearest  what  the  nature  of  true  grace  is,  defer  not  to 
ask  thine  own  heart,  if  this  grace  be  there.  And  here  take 
heed, 

1.  That  the  preacher  himself  be  sound,  and  of  good  life. 


278  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 

2.  That  thou  takest  not  seeming  graces  for  real  ones,  nor 
seeming  fruits  for  real  fruits.  3.  Take  heed  that  a  sin  in 
thy  life  goes  not  unrepented  of ;  for  that  will  make  a  flaw 
in  thine  evidence,  a  wound  in  thy  conscience,  and  a  hreach 
in  thy  peace  ;  and  a  hundred  to  one,  if  at  last  it  doth  not 
drive  all  the  grace  in  thee  into  so  dark  a  corner  of  thy 
heart,  that  thou  shalt  not  he  ahle,  for  a  time,  hy  all  the 
torches  that  are  burning  in  the  gospel,  to  find  it  out  to 
thine  own  comfort  and  consolation. 


iSlonument   to   .^o^n   ISunrau 


TREASURERS. 

Thomas  Thompson,  Esq.,  Poundsford  Park. 
W.  B.  GuRNEY,  Esq.  London. 

H  0  N  0  R  A  a  Y    SECRETARIES. 
Rev.  R.  Philip.  Rev.  Howard  Hinton. 

ROVniONAL    COMMITTEE. 

Rev.  John  Morrison,  D.D.  and  LL.D.,  London. 

Rev.  James  Hamilton,  London. 

Rev.  Hugh  Campbell,  London. 

W.  Alkrs  Han  key,  Esq.,  Banker,  London. 

Joshua  Wilson,  Esq  ,  London. 

George  Ovenden,  Esq.,  Architect,  London. 

Ml-  Thomas  Nelson,  Publisher,  London. 


London,  Nov.  26th,  1845. 

The  Publisher  of  the  Works  of  the  English  Puritan  Divines  having  sanc- 
tioned an  appeal  to  the  Subscribers  to  that  Series  for  a  Mo.nument  to  John 
BuNYAN,  the  following  statement  is  submitted  for  their  consideration. 

Two  years  ago,  while  preparations  were  in  progress  for  a  Monument  to 
Dr  Watts,  various  subscriptions  were  obtained  for  the  object  now  in  view  ; 
but  the  scheme  having  been  deferred  till  the  Monument  to  Dr  Watts  was 
completed,  and  that  having  been  installed  this  day  at  Abney  Park  Cemetery, 
it  is  now  tliought  a  fitting  opportunity  to  resume  the  efforts  for  a  Memorial 
to  tlie  Author  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress. 

The  MoTiument  of  Bunyan  in  Bunhill  Fields  is  even  more  decayed  tlian 
that  of  AVattd  was,  so  that  strangers  who  make  a  pilgrimage  to  it  have 
difficulty  in  discovering  the  hallowed  spot. 

Protestantism  owes  a  noble  Monument  to  John  Bunyan,  to  mark  her  sense 
of  his  contributions  to  Christian  literature;  and  surely  among  the  multitude 
of  his  admirers,  the  effort  will  not  be  wanting  thus  to  testify  the  deep  debt 
of  gratitude  tliej'  owe  him. 

Should  only  a  moiety  of  the  Subscribers  to  this  edition  of  the  Puritan 
Divines  give  even  a  shilling  each,  the  object  will  be  secured;  and  it  seems 
no  unmeet  memorial  of  this  series,  to  render  it  thus  the  medium  of  such  an 


efFi.rt ;  as  it  is  intended,  should  this  appeal  be  responded  to,  to  publish  in 
tlie  fourth  or  fifth  volume  of  the  series,  a  list  of  all  subscribers  to  the 
amount  of  five  shillings  and  upwards. 

The  humblest  of  the  admirers  of  John  Bunyan  (and  who  is  not  of  the 
number?)  will  surely  spare  at  least  one  shilling  towards  a  Monument  to 
the  Author  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress.  He  needs  indeed  "  No  storied  urn  or 
animated  bust,"  while  every  year  witnesses  the  appreciation  of  his  labours 
in  large  and  successive  editions  of  his  writings.  But  he  deserves  no  less 
the  worthiest  that  can  be  given,  who  "  though  dead  yet  speaketh ;"  whose 
Pilgrim  has  been  the  instructor  of  multitudes,  and  their  guide  to  "  the  glo- 
rious liberty  of  the  children  of  God ;"  and  who  freely  sacrificed  his  liberty, 
and,  if  needs  had  been,  his  life,  for  the  great  cause  of  truth  and  liberty  of 
conscience.  Surely  this  is  not  the  time  when  such  works  should  be  for- 
gotten. 

Children  and  Sunday  Schools  should  be  made  parties  in  this  tribute  to 
the  memory  of  one  to  whom  they  owe  so  mucli,  in  emulation  of  the  example 
of  their  parents  and  teachers,  that  all  may  testify  their  acknowledgment 
of  his  worth. 

All  subscriptions  and  letters  must  be  addresse  1,  postpaid,  to  Mr  Joseph 
Philip,  at  the  Congregational  Library,  Blomfield  Street,  London. 

Subscriptions,  from  one  shilling  to  five  shillings,  can  be  forwarded  in 
postage  stamps — above  that  sum  by  post-office  order. 


FORM  OF  SUBSCRIPTION 
Sir, 

I  herewith  send  you  the  sum  of  ,  which 

I  desire  you  wiU  place  as  a  subscription  to  the  Bunyan  Monument,  from, 
Yours  truly. 


Name, 


Address, 
Date, 


To  Mr  Joseph  Philip,   Congregational  Library, 
Blomfield  Street,  Finsbury  Pqmrc,  London. 


Theological  Seminary-Speer  Librar) 


1    1012  01147  5284 


